Recommendations on amounts of physical activity for preventive reasons have been determined for various age groups. The aim is to support the society as it fights overweight, obesity and other non-communicable diseases. In short – being active in the amounts specified in the guidelines minimises the risk of non-communicable diseases. This is extremely important.
So, how much activity should Poles undertake to achieve the relevant activity level and hope for health benefits?
‘Regular’ means…
To be beneficial, the physical activity has to be regular. And the truth is: once or twice per month won’t work at all.
WHO’s physical activity guidelines recommend (at least) the following training amounts:
It needs to be noted that people who were previously physically inactive should gradually introduce the frequency and intensity of exercise. It will help avoid straining the body and minimise the risk of injury. Sport should bring positive emotions - it’s to reduce stress and improve the mood, not the opposite.
Physical activity recommendations for health
The World Health Organization recommends that adults (aged 18-64) who are healthy should engage in:
The latest recommendations of the Polish National Food and Nutrition Institute have been presented in the form of the ‘Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Pyramid’ with the physical activity at the base of the pyramid. The set of 10 nutrition rules and the promotion of daily physical activity (at least 30-45 minutes per day) are to persuade people that we really can do something to enjoy a healthy and long life, and both mental and physical ability into old age.
POLES SURVEYED – WHAT ARE THE STATISTICS?
The data from the survey carried out by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism ‘The physical activity level of Poles, 2018’’ among the respondents aged 15-69 reveals that:
24% of men
19.7% of women
14.8% - cycling
66.2% - walking
HOW DO WE BENEFIT FROM DOING SPORTS?
Lifestyle, is a combination of healthy behaviours, essentially including physical activity and nutrition. Starting physical activity, we can be sure that we support our organisms. It is crucial to maintain health and good well-being into old age.
Regular physical activity, in line with the guidelines (and adjusted to individual capacity), supports the function of all the systems in the human body: respiratory, circulatory, nervous and musculoskeletal system.
Doing sports is a ready-made solution if we want to:
Physical activity only benefits the body e.g. by reducing the risk of non-communicable chronic diseases including diet-related ones, i.e.:
Did you know that…?
The amounts you eat depend mostly on the amount of daily physical activity?
The nutrition standards for the population in Poland set out an average energy requirement (kcal), depending on the sex, body weight and physical activity. For example:
1. The calorie intake of a man aged 19-30, weighting 90 kg, with low physical activity is 3300 kcal per day, but if that man engages in moderate-intensity physical activity, the intake rises to 3600 per day.
2. A woman between 51-65 years of age, weighting 60 kg, with low physical activity should eat 2000 kcal a day, but if she starts moderate-intensity physical activity it will increase to 2200 kcal.
OK, let’s move!