How much moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week do current guidelines recommend for adults?

Question

Accepted Answer

At least 150 minutes per week. Current physical activity guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018) recommend that adults engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity (such as running or high-intensity interval training), or an equivalent combination. Additional health benefits are gained by increasing to 300 minutes of moderate activity per week. Adults should also perform muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups on two or more days per week.

Fifteen minutes per week is far below the recommended amount and would provide minimal health benefits. Three hundred minutes per day (5 hours daily) exceeds even the enhanced recommendation and would be impractical for most people. The claim that exercise is not recommended for adults over 30 is completely false; physical activity is recommended and beneficial throughout the entire lifespan, with particular importance for maintaining health and function in middle and older adulthood.

Physical activity guidelines and their scientific basis are core knowledge for the DSST Health and Human Development exam. Students should know the specific recommendations for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercises, understand the health benefits of meeting these guidelines (reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and premature death), and be familiar with the dose-response relationship between physical activity and health outcomes.

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