Friday Factoids April 22

For those who celebrate--Happy Earth Day and Happy Good Friday and Easter weekend all!

This Fridays Factoids are about exercise. The US Department of Health and Human Services released guidelines in 2008 for the first time ever. Can we take a moment to wonder why it took until 2008 for anyone in the government to explore what amount of exercise our obesity riddled nation should shoot for? While it was long overdue, the results are in:
(pulled from http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/factsheetprof.aspx)

Children and Adolescents (aged 6–17)

• Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity every day.
• Most of the 1 hour or more a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
• As part of their daily physical activity, children and adolescents should do vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week. They also should do muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity on at least 3 days per week.

Adults (aged 18–64)

• Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.

Older Adults (aged 65 and older)

• Older adults should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to limiting chronic conditions, older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity. Older adults should do exercises that maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.

Now these guidelines seem (even to me) to be asking a lot of children, especially since funding continues to be cut in physical education programs in schools. However, that mentality is exactly the issue. We need to make time! And if parents were physically active with their children, they would meet their requirements as well! However, according to a study done by Cooking Light magazine and posted on CNN Health (http://articles.cnn.com/2007-01-26/health/cl.healthy.habits_1_exercise-three-drink-lower-fat-milk-high-fat-foods?_s=PM:HEALTH)

• 6 percent of Americans adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day
• 22 percent exercise three to four times per week
• 19 percent walk or bike instead of taking transportation
• 41 percent take the stairs whenever possible
• 33 percent regularly park their cars farther from their destination to get in extra walking

Today-get your 30 minutes in. Leave your car at home in honor of Earth Day. Walk your errands. Get Active! We can change these statistics!

In Pursuit,

Sarah