|
What is Physical Activity?
Physical activity is a behavior; any bodily movement that expends calories. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, if not all days of the week.
Why is Physical Activity Important for Heart Health?
Physical activity provides benefits for people of all ages. Regular physical activity is identified with lower coronary heart disease risk because the coronary arteries are able to expand more and are wider than those of sedentary individuals. The heart muscle, like other muscles in your body, becomes bigger, stronger, and more efficient with regular activity. This means a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. As a result of regular physical activity, the risk of developing or dying from certain diseases and illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and other chronic illnesses is lowered. Physically active individuals also have lower direct medical expenses compared to inactive people. If all Americans became physically active, potential savings would hover around $76 billion dollars annually!
What is Moderate Activity?
A moderate amount of physical activity is equivalent to activities that use approximately 150 calories of energy per day, or 1,000 calories a week. The following are examples of moderate intensity activities:
| Activity |
Duration |
| Volleyball |
45 minutes |
| Wheeling Self in a Wheelchair |
30-40 minutes |
| Basketball continuously |
30 minutes |
| Bicycling 5 miles in |
30 minutes |
| Walking 2 miles in |
30 minutes |
| Water Aerobics |
30 minutes |
| Jumping Rope |
15 minutes |
| Running 1.5 miles in |
15 minutes |
| Shoveling Snow |
15 minutes |
| Walking Stairs |
15 minutes |
Health professionals recommend 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. The thirty minutes of activity does not need to be continuous and can be broken down into two or even three daily sessions. For maximum cardiovascular benefit, increase the intesity. You should select a variety of activities that you enjoy and find ways to incorporate them into your daily routine.
High Risk Populations
More than 60% of American adults do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity. Women, older people, people of minority or ethnic groups, and children get less physical activity than men, young people, and Caucasians. Declining daily enrollment in physical education classe
|
