New Physical Activity Guidelines Say Seniors Should
Try to Keep Up with Younger Adults
Adults – including senior citizens – need two and a
half hours a week of aerobic physical activity, says Health & Human
Services
Oct.
7, 2008 – Adults - even senior citizens – need two and a half hours a
week of moderate aerobic physical activity, which will return
substantial health benefits, according to the new Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans, which were released today by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
The comprehensive set of recommendations is for
people of all ages and physical conditions.
The recommendation for adults also offers an
alternative to the moderate activity - an hour and 15 minutes of
vigorous physical activity.
The report says “Older adults should follow the
guidelines for other adults when it is within their physical capacity.
If a chronic condition prohibits their ability to follow those
guidelines, they should be as physically active as their abilities and
conditions allow.”
It also notes that if older people are at risk of
falling, they should also do exercises that maintain or improve balance.
Recommended for adults are aerobic activity, such
as walking briskly, water aerobics, ballroom dancing, jogging, and
jumping rope, should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes.
Increasing aerobic physical activity to five hours a week of moderate
activity or two and one half hours a week of vigorous aerobic physical
activity, results in more extensive health benefits.
Adults should also do muscle-strengthening
activities, such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups, carrying heavy
loads and heavy gardening, at least two days a week.
The guidelines are designed so people can easily
fit physical activity into their daily plan and incorporate activities
they enjoy.
“It’s important for all Americans to be active,
and the guidelines are a roadmap to include physical activity in their
daily routine,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said.
“The evidence is clear - regular physical activity
over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the
risk of many diseases. The more physically active you are, the more
health benefits you gain.”
It can improve thinking ability in older adults and
the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living, the report
says.
Regular physical activity reduces the risk in
adults of early death; coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood
pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are
the most comprehensive of their kind, according to the HHS news release.
They are based on the first thorough review of
scientific research about physical activity and health in more than a
decade. A 13-member advisory committee appointed in April 2007 by
Secretary Leavitt reviewed research and produced an extensive report.
The recommendations also included special notes for
senior citizens.
Key Guidelines for Older Adults
How
intense?
Older adults can meet the Guidelines by
doing relatively moderate-intensity activity, relatively
vigorous–intensity activity, or a combination of both.
Time spent in light activity (such as light
housework) and sedentary activities (such as watching TV) do not
count.
The relative intensity of aerobic activity
is related to a person's level of cardiorespiratory fitness.
● Moderate-intensity activity requires a
medium level of effort. On a scale of 0 to 10, where sitting is
0 and the greatest effort possible is 10, moderate-intensity
activity is a 5 or 6 and produces noticeable increases in
breathing rate and heart rate.
● Vigorous-intensity activity is a 7 or 8
on this scale and produces large increases in a person's
breathing and heart rate.
A general rule of thumb is that 2 minutes
of moderate–intensity activity count the same as 1 minute of
vigorous-intensity activity.
For example, 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity activity a week is roughly same as 15 minutes
of vigorous-intensity activity.
The following Guidelines are the same for adults
and older adults:
● All older adults should avoid inactivity. Some
physical activity is better than none, and older adults who participate
in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
● For substantial health benefits, older adults
should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of
moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of
vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent
combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes,
and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.
● For additional and more extensive health
benefits, older adults should increase their aerobic physical activity
to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity, or 150 minutes a
week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent
combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Additional
health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this
amount.
● Older adults should also do
muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and
involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these
activities provide additional health benefits.
The following Guidelines are just for older adults:
● When older adults cannot do 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week because of chronic
conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and
conditions allow.
● Older adults should do exercises that maintain
or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.
● Older adults should determine their level of
effort for physical activity relative to their level of fitness.
● Older adults with chronic conditions should
understand whether and how their conditions affect their ability to do
regular physical activity safely.
NOTE: This link is the chapter that applies
directly to senior citizens -
click here.
Key guidelines by group are:
Children and Adolescents -- One hour or more
of moderate or vigorous aerobic physical activity a day, including
vigorous intensity physical activity at least three days a week.
Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities include hiking,
skateboarding, bicycle riding and brisk walking. Vigorous intensity
aerobic activities include bicycle riding, jumping rope, running and
sports such as soccer, basketball and ice or field hockey. Children and
adolescents should incorporate muscle-strengthening activities, such as
rope climbing, sit-ups, and tug-of war, three days a week.
Bone-strengthening activities, such as jumping rope, running and
skipping, are recommended three days a week.
Adults -- Adults gain substantial health
benefits from two and one half hours a week of moderate intensity
aerobic physical activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous
physical activity. Walking briskly, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and
general gardening are examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities.
Vigorous intensity aerobic activities include racewalking, jogging or
running, swimming laps, jumping rope and hiking uphill or with a heavy
backpack. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least
10 minutes. For more extensive health benefits, adults should increase
their aerobic physical activity to five hours a week moderate-intensity
or two and one half hours a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity. Adults should incorporate muscle strengthening activities,
such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups and carrying heavy loads or
heavy gardening, at least two days a week.
Older adults -- Older adults should follow
the guidelines for other adults when it is within their physical
capacity. If a chronic condition prohibits their ability to follow those
guidelines, they should be as physically active as their abilities and
conditions allow. If they are at risk of falling, they should also do
exercises that maintain or improve balance.
Women during pregnancy -- Healthy women
should get at least two and one half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic
activity a week during pregnancy and the time after delivery, preferably
spread through the week. Pregnant women who habitually engage in
vigorous aerobic activity or who are highly active can continue during
pregnancy and the time after delivery, provided they remain healthy and
discuss with their health care provider how and when activity should be
adjusted over time.
Adults with disabilities -- Those who are
able should get at least two and one half hours of moderate aerobic
activity a week, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity
a week. They should incorporate muscle-strengthening activities
involving all major muscle groups two or more days a week. When they are
not able to meet the guidelines, they should engage in regular physical
activity according to their abilities and should avoid inactivity.
People with chronic medical conditions --
Adults with chronic conditions get important health benefits from
regular physical activity. They should do so with the guidance of a
health care provider.
Oct.
7, 2008 – Adults - even senior citizens – need two and a half hours a
week of moderate aerobic physical activity, which will return
substantial health benefits, according to the new Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans, which were released today by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. 