The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued new exercise guidelines in an attempt to end confusion over how much exercise people need to stay healthy.
The Government states that adults aged 18 to 64 needs to be doing 2½ hours of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, each week in order to reduce their risk of premature death. They also recommend that all adults should do muscle-strengthening activities that exercise all muscle groups at least two days each week.
Older adults are advised to follow the adult guidelines as much as is possible. The guidelines state that older adults should avoid inactivity, and should be as physically active as they possibly can be. They also advise that older people should regularly partake in exercise that helps to maintain or improve balance in order to reduce their risk of falling.
Children need to partake in at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity exercise each day.
The full guidelines are available to download from the US Department of Health and Human Services: 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
