Trying to prevent obesity and thus health problems related
to obesity, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday its
physical activity guide destined to all Americans, no matter age, race or
pounds they carry.
The new “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” as the
guide was called, is the most comprehensive guide ever based on the first
thorough review of scientific research about physical activity and health in
more than a decade, the government said in a statement.
Americans are highly recommended two and half hours of
physical activity a week as a way to prevent a range of health problems such as
obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis,
Alzheimer's disease, depression, and the list could go on. Exercise is also
known to prolong life if done regularly.
“The evidence is clear – regular physical activity over
months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of
many disease,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said.
However, the actual recommendations vary depending on age and level of
fitness. The more fit you are, the more exercise you need. On the other hand,
the more you exercise the better your health condition is. “The more physically
active you are, the more health benefits you gain,” Leavitt said.
As for those who find little time for physical activity or
aren’t crazy in love for fitness, some ten minutes a day of speeding up on their
way back from work or grocery store or playing with their kids in the back yard
should be enough to maintain them in shape, but only if they do it on regular
basis. “The easy message is get active, whatever your way is. Get active your
way,” Leavitt added.
According to latest statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, obesity is in continuous growing in the US, affecting more than one
in four adults. While in 2005, 23.9 percent of US adults were obese or had a
body mass index greater than 30, in 2007, the percentage had grown to 25.6
percent. This percentage translates in more than 60 million adults. Both poor
diet and a lack of exercise are blamed.
When it comes to kids, the situation is even worse. About a
third are overweight and 16 percent are obese, a situation that is getting out
of control, as the calories in their favorite foods keep going through the roof
and as schools are decreasing the amount of recess and gym time. According to a
recent study, by the time they reach high school, fewer than a third of teens
are getting an hour of activity a day. In their case, brisk activities for at
least an hour a day are recommended, the guidelines concluded.
The guidelines are available on the Internet at
www.health.gov/paguidelines.
