Physical activity helps to improve health

Are you one of many, many people in the U.S. who made a resolution to be healthier in 2016? One of the best ways to improve health is to be physically active. Physical activity helps people maintain or lose weight. It also helps the heart stay strong. But physical activity offers a wealth of additional health benefits that do not always get attention.
“People always tell me they want a magic pill to be healthy. I say physical activity is the magic pill,” says Sharon E. Ross, PhD, assistant professor of health and physical activity at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. Getting enough physical activity has been proven to lower the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It helps reduce depression and anxiety. It improves how well people’s brains function and improves sleep quality. But, unfortunately, even with all its benefits, people in the U.S. are not as physically active as they should be.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (for people age 6 and older). For adults, the recommendation 75 minutes of vigorous, 150 minutes of moderate and 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on at least five days. This equals about 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity per day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey, only one in five adults in the U.S. meets the guidelines. Only 37 percent of African Americans meet the guidelines and only 43.1 percent of Asians and 47.6 percent of Whites do.