• People who are usually inactive can improve their health and well-being by becoming even moderately active on a regular basis.
• Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits.
• Greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount (duration, frequency, or intensity) of physical activity.

• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely.
• Reduces the risk of dying from heart disease.
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
• Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Helps control weight.
• Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
• Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.
• Promotes psychological well-being.

Washing and waxing a car for 45-60 minutes Washing windows or floors for 45-60 minutes Playing volleyball for 45 minutes Playing touch football for 30-45 minutes Gardening for 30-45 minutes Wheeling self in wheelchair for 30-40 minutes Walking 1 3/4 miles in 35 minutes (20 min/mile) Basketball (shooting baskets) for 30 minutes Bicycling 5 miles in 30 minutes Dancing fast (social) for 30 minutes Pushing a stroller 1 1/2 miles in 30 minutes Raking leaves for 30 minutes Walking 2 miles in 30 minutes (15 min/mile) Water aerobics for 30 minutes Swimming laps for 20 minutes Wheelchair basketball for 20 minutes Basketball (playing a game) for 15-20 minutes Bicycling 4 miles in 15 minutes Jumping rope for 15 minutes Running 1 1/2 miles in 15 minutes (10 min/mile) Shoveling snow for 15 minutes Stairwalking for 15 minutes

Less Vigorous, More Time More Vigorous, Less Time

* A moderate amount of physical activity is roughly equivalent to physical activity that uses approximately 150 Calories (kcal) of energy per day, or 1,000 Calories per week.
⁺ Some activities can be performed at various intensities; the suggested durations correspond to expected intensity of effort.

• More than 60 percent of adults do not achieve the recommended amount of regular physical activity. In fact, 25 percent of all adults are not active at all.
• Inactivity increases with age and is more common among women than men and among those with lower income and less education than among those with higher income or education.
  

Adolescents and Young Adults

• Nearly half of young people aged 12-21 are not vigorously active on a regular basis.
• Physical activity declines dramatically with age during adolescence.
• Female adolescents are much less physically active than male adolescents.
  

• In high school, enrollment in daily physical education classes dropped from 42 percent in 1991 to 25 percent in 1995.
• Only 19 percent of all high school students are physically active for 20 minutes or more in physical education classes every day during the school week.

• Well-designed programs in schools to increase physical activity in physical education classes have been shown to be effective.
• Carefully planned counseling by health care providers and worksite activity programs can increase individuals' physical activity levels.
• Promising approaches being tried in some communities around the nation include opening school buildings and shopping malls for walking before or after regular hours, as well as building bicycle and walking paths separated from automobile traffic. Revising building codes to require accessible stairwells is another idea that has been suggested.