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We're constantly told to try and be more active. But this isn't just to help us use more energy to reach or maintain a healthy weight, physical activity has important benefits that extend way beyond weight management.
Exercise is often described as 'the best medicine'. Even in the absence of any significant weight loss, regular physical activity has been proven to reduce the risk of several illnesses. Ensuring we move enough throughout the day is essential to our long term health and ongoing quality of life.
The government recommends adults should be active every day and aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week. This means activity that raises our heart and breathing rate, and makes us feel warmer. It can be a brisk walk, a gentle cycle, or even a vigorous clean of the bathroom!
Here are 5 great benefits of regular physical activity on our health:
Just as being generally more active can reduce the risk of several illnesses, being inactive can increase the risk. Changes in technology, lifestyles and occupations mean we as a society are far more sedentary than we ever used to be, and this impacts on our health.
Research has shown that even if are exercising regularly but have a sedentary job where we sit for hours on end, our risk of several illnesses increases. We not only need to do physical activity to raise our heart rate throughout the day, we also need to generally get up and move more. One reason is that our leg veins require muscle contraction to help the flow of blood back to the heart. If we sit still, the lack of muscle contraction can put pressure on the vascular system and lead to complications.
So if you make one change today – make it to move more! Get up from your desk every hour and walk around (or do some star jumps in the loo!). Get your blood flowing as often as you can and your body will thank you for it!
Nutritionists Emma White (ANutr), MSc Human Nutrition and Amy Wood (ANutr), MSci BSc Nutrition, are passionate about diet and how this impacts overall health. They support evidence-based advice around nutrition and aim to help everyone better understand how different nutrients affect the body and long-term health status.
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