Physical activity


Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity encompasses all activities, at any intensity, performed during any time of day or night. It includes exercise and incidental activity integrated into daily activity. This integrated activity may not be planned, structured, repetitive or purposeful for the improvement of fitness, and may include activities such as walking to the local shop, cleaning, working, active transport etc. Lack of physical activity is associated with a range of negative health outcomes whereas increased physical activity can improve physical as well as mental health.. Physical activity increases energy expenditure and is a key regulator in controlling body weight

Terminology misconception

"Exercise" and "physical activity" are frequently used interchangeably and generally refer to physical activity performed during leisure time with the primary purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness, physical performance, or health. Physical activity is not exactly the same concept as exercise. Exercise is defined as a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful in the sense that the improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness is the objective. Conversely, physical activity includes exercise but may also be unplanned, unstructured, random and non-purposeful carried out for a multitude of reasons.

Intensity

Physical activity can be at any intensity, from a simple twitch of a muscle, to an all out sprint. For practicality, physical activity can be viewed as a continuum from sedentary behavior to vigorous intensity activity. Intensities are broadly categorized according to energy expenditure using a standard measure of intensity, metabolic equivalents. The broad categories are sedentary behavior, light activity, moderate activity and vigorous activity.

Example activities at each intensity

The example activities presented below are just that, examples. Depending on the individual and the activity involved, activities may overlap intensity categories or change categories completely.
IntensityExample Activities
Sedentary BehaviorSitting, lying
StandingStanding still
Light Physical Activity slow walking, shuffling around the house
Moderate Physical Activity Brisk walking, jogging, light swimming, stair climbing
Vigorous Physical Activity Fast running, fast cycling, sprinting

Physical activity has been shown to reduce anxiety as a condition, anxiety as a personality trait, psycho-physiological signs of anxiety - blood pressure and heart rate.For people with a severe depressive episode and anxiety disorder, long and short walks proved to be the most effective, and for people with substance abuse disorders, bipolar disorder and frequent psychotic decompensation, "strenuous" gymnastics and riding proved to be the most effective.

Other types of physical activity

Global recommendations

The World Health Organization recommend the following:

Adults aged 18–64

1. Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
2. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.
3. For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
4. Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.

Adults aged 65+

1. Adults aged 65 years and above should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
2. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.
3. For additional health benefits, adults aged 65 years and above should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate-and vigorous-intensity activity.
4. Adults of this age group, with poor mobility, should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls on 3 or more days per week.
5. Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups, on 2 or more days a week.
6. When adults of this age group cannot do the recommended amounts of physical activity due to health conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow.

Children and Adolescents aged 5–17

1. Children and youth aged 5–17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
2. Amounts of physical activity greater than 60 minutes provide additional health benefits.
3. Most of the daily physical activity should be aerobic. Vigorous-intensity activities should be incorporated, including those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 times per week.

Country-level recommendations

Australia, New Zealand,, the United Kingdom,, and the United States are among the countries that have issued physical activity recommendations.

Predictors of physical activity levels

The amount of physical activity conducted by a population, and by extension the proportion of that population reaching guidelines or other specified thresholds, is dictated by a number of factors including demographics, population health status, cultural aspects, and the state of the environment itself.
Studies have shown that as availability of natural environments increases, more leisure-time physical activity such as walking and cycling are reported. Meteorological conditions have been found to predict physical activity differently in different types of environment. For example, in a large population-based study in England, higher air temperatures and lower wind speeds were associated with increased physical activity.
Globally, in 2016, according to a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys, around 81% of students aged 11–17 years were insufficiently physically active. The region with the highest prevalence of insufficient activity in 2016 was high-income Asia Pacific.