Exercise is playing an increasingly important role in
weight management and overall fitness for people of all ages. The newly revised Dietary
Guidelines for Americans emphasizes the importance of physical activity for both weight control and health. Weight maintenance
rather than weight loss should be the primary focus. The new guidelines challenge some of
the conventional dietary guidelines for healthy Americans. Key messages include:
Weight maintenance is the first step in achieving a healthy
weight and reducing obesity
- No weight gain with age
- Healthy weight ranges are the same for women and men
The Guidelines encourage people to increase physical
activity and reduce sedentary activity in order to maintain or lose weight, recommending a
minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical exercise every day. They also
recognize the link between weight gain and health risks (i.e. premature death) for adults.
And they acknowledge that the distribution of fat in the body affects the risks associated with obesity, identifying exercise as one of
the few factors that reduces central body fat.
Planning an exercise progam should be based on personal goals as well as on individual
capabilities. The most important element is to think
long-term and make exercise a permanent part of your life.
Moderately Intense Activities:
- Brisk Walking (3-4 mph)
- Cycling (10 mph)
- Swimming or calisthenics
- Racket sports or table tennis
- Golf (without cart)
- Housecleaning, general*
- Raking leaves*
- Dancing*
- Playing actively with children*
*Considered moderate only if they are performed at an
intensity comparable to brisk walking.
See our line
of body fat measurement scales
(Source: Journal of the American Medical
Association 273:402:1995.)
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