https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9j8yaf/PodcastAudio_PH_EP159.mp3



In this edition of the Pursuing Health Pearls, we take a deep dive into one of the last big cornerstones of health - physical activity and exercise.
Generally physical activity refers to unplanned activity that you are doing throughout the day as part of your job or daily activities, while exercise is intentional, planned, or a structured form of physical activity, but you can expect us to use these terms interchangeably throughout the rest of this post.
Here, we’ll look at current physical activity patterns in the US and the world, and break down the latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans which were created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Then we’ll provide an overview of the amazing benefits of physical activity, and dig into the mechanisms behind why it has such a positive impact on our physical and mental health. All of the information from this article comes directly from the guidelines unless otherwise noted.
This excerpt from the introduction of the guidelines sums up the health impacts of exercise well:
“Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, OR current fitness level. Individuals with a chronic disease or a disability benefit from regular physical activity, as do women who are pregnant. The scientific evidence continues to build—physical activity is linked with even more positive health outcomes than we previously thought. And, even better, benefits can start accumulating with small amounts of, and immediately after doing, physical activity.”
 
Physical Activity Patterns in the US
Shockingly, only 26% of men, 19% of women, and 20% of adolescents report meeting current guidelines for physical activity (both aerobic and muscle strengthening).1  This means that close to 80% of Americans are not getting enough physical activity to support their health.
This physical inactivity is linked to $117 billion in annual health care costs and 10% of premature deaths. The therapeutic potential of exercise is far-reaching given that 7 of the 10 most common chronic diseases are improved by physical activity. So, along with nutrition, sleep, and stress management, physical activity is a crucial cornerstone for health.
This pattern of insufficient physical activity is also seen worldwide, although not to quite the same degree, where 1 in 5 people are insufficiently physically active according to a 2011 study of 300,000 individuals older than 15 years old form 76 different countries.2

Physical Activity Guidelines
Now that we know there is a lot of room for improvement, we’ll break down the latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This is the 2nd edition of these guidelines published by the Department of Health and Human Services,