New Physical Activity Guidelines

The Department of Health has recently published new physical activity guidelines. This report by the Chief Medical Officer produced UK-wide guidelines for all four of the home countries for the first time and introduced guidelines for early years (under fives) as well as for sedentary behaviour, something of which previously has not been done. As the Department of Health states ‘the risks in engaging in physical activity are low for most of the population, but the risks of poor health resulting from inactivity are high.’

The most welcome new development is recommendations for all young children under five:

• They should be encouraged from birth to be active. Combine a mixture of floor-based play and water-based activities which are safe is ideal.
• Those who are able to walk unaided are to engage in at least 180 minutes (3 hours) of physical activity a day.
• Young children should spend as little time as possible being sedentary (except time spent sleeping).

New guidelines for adults aged 19-64 years and older adults (65+) have also been formulated:

• They should be encouraged to restrict the amount of time being inactive.
• To participate, over a week, in at least 150 minutes (2½hours) of moderate intensity exercise over a period of 10 minutes or more.
• To partake in exercise which improves muscle strength on at least two days of the week.

Additionally, Children and young adults (5-18 years) are urged to:

• Engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least an hour a day.
• To incorporate activities which strengthen muscle and bone at least three days a week.

Key emphasis however is placed across all four age groups (early years to older adults) on restricting physical inactivity.

This article was originally published in Volume 2, Issue 4 of the SCPN Newsletter.
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