The first formal US government recommendations on physical activity,
the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, were published in 2008.
Now, those guidelines have been interpreted for practical use by health
care professionals in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, published by SAGE.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are comprised of
recommendations regarding the types and amounts of physical activity
that people should perform for optimum health. Specific guidelines are
provided for youth, adults, and older adults, as well as special groups
such as pregnant women and those with disabilities. Some of the
innovative aspects of the Physical Activity Guidelines include such
evidence based recommendations as:
Exercise that's moderate in intensity, vigorous in intensity
or a combination of the two are all counted towards reaching the
recommended physical activity goals.
The target dose of physical activity can be accumulated throughout the week, rather than just day by day.
Additional health benefits are attained when people do up to twice the amount of physical activity recommended.
