Corona Prevention Tips: 5 Hrs Exercise A Week For Adults, 60 Mins/ Day For Kids & Adolescents, Suggests WHO

Physical activities can be done as part of work, sport and leisure or transport (walking, wheeling and cycling), but also through dance, play and everyday household tasks, like gardening and cleaning.

As Covid-19 has confined us within our homes to prevent the virus from spreading, it has impacted our physical well being, too. The World Health Organization (WHO) has come up with a set of guidelines on physical activity and stated that up to 5 million deaths a year could be averted if the global population was more active.

What is the impact of sedentary lifestyle?

WHO statistics show that one in four adults, and four out of five adolescents, do not get enough physical activity. Globally this is estimated to cost $54 billion in direct healthcare and another $14 billion to lost productivity, according to the global public health agency.

What are WHO guidelines?

As per the new guidelines, at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week for all adults, including people living with chronic conditions or disability has been recommended. For children and adolescents it has recommended an average of 60 minutes per day.

“Older adults (aged 65 years or above) are advised to add activities that emphasize balance and coordination, as well as muscle strengthening, to help prevent falls and improve health," the WHO said. The guidelines emphasise that everyone, of all ages and abilities, can be physically active and that every type of movement counts.

All physical activities are beneficial and can be done as part of work, sport and leisure or transport (walking, wheeling and cycling), but also through dance, play and everyday household tasks, like gardening and cleaning.

In fact, women women are advised to maintain regular physical activity throughout pregnancy and post-delivery. The guidelines also focused on the health benefits of physical activity for people living with disabilities.

The organisation has laid stress on regular physical activity to prevent and help manage heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and cancer, as well as reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, curbing cognitive decline, improving memory and boosting brain health.

What are the guidelines aimed at?

The global guidelines, meant to be adopted by all countries, are aimed at preventing the menace of non-communicable diseases, which are recognised as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality for Covid-19. Such diseases may arise from sedentary lifestyle during the pandemic.

WHO has encouraged countries to adopt the global guidelines to develop national health policies in support of the WHO Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030. The plan was agreed by global health leaders at the 71st World Health Assembly in 2018 to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030.