The challenge is for each person to increase how often they exercise during the week.
In alignment with our initiative of promoting healthy lifestyles through the different programs that we offer our members, Coomeva Private Healthcare invites you to learn about the 10 recommendations approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the benefits of physical activity. These key recommendations include tools for reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are caused by physical inactivity such as strokes, diabetes and cancer. To prevent and control these type of conditions, the WHO 2013-2020 Global Action Plan makes a call to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by the year 2025.
- Practice being active every day. Making this a habit is key. In addition to reducing your risk for heart disease, strokes and depression, physical activity is also helpful for losing weight.
- People that are physically active improve the function of their muscle and cardiorespiratory systems, functional bone health, and have a lower risk of falling and breaking their hips or back.
- Doing sports and exercise as well as playing, walking and dancing are all considered physical activities. Any type of movement that you do while working or studying is beneficial to your health.
- The intensity of physical activity depends on each individual’s availability and needs. Exercises vary depending on weight, health condition and goals, as well as how much effort you want to put in.
- People between ages 5 and 17 should do at least 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity a day.
- Ideally, youth and adults between ages 18 and 64 should do 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. To benefit cardiorespiratory health, these should be conducted over at least 10-minute periods.
- The main recommendations for people over age 65 are to exercise three times a week in order to improve your balance and prevent falls. It is crucial to stay active to the best of your abilities, and to push yourself if your body allows it.
- People who are physically inactive should get started by doing short series of exercises and by gradually increasing their duration, frequency and intensity. Instead of taking the elevator at work, for example, take the stairs.
- In general, the more resistance strength a person has, the greater the benefit to their health. This is why it is important to combine aerobic exercise with resistance exercise as well as flexibility and balance exercises.
- Is important to warm up before working out and to cool down when you finish. This helps prevent injuries and protects your entire musculoskeletal system. What you eat becomes more important as you increase your physical activity.