Physical activity includes exercise, as well as other movements you make as part of working, playing or relaxing.
Together with a healthy eating pattern, regular physical activity helps you:
- maintain a healthy weight
- have strong muscles and bones
- feel good and sleep well.
How much physical activity do you need?
| Babies: |
30 minutes tummy time per day |
| Toddlers: |
3 hours play per day |
| Children: |
60 minutes per day |
| Teenagers: |
60 minutes per day |
| Adults: |
2½ hours per week |
| Older Adults: |
30 minutes most days |
| Pregnancy: |
2½ hours per week |
At home
- Try balancing or stretching while watching TV or brushing your teeth.
- Cleaning counts as part of daily physical activity.
- Gardening is a good way to be physically active.
At school
- Physical activity can improve children's concentration.
- Safe biking and walking routes to school benefits children and the environment.
- Organised sports and playground games give children opportunities to move.
At work
- Physical activity at work increases productivity.
- Get off public transport a few stops before your destination.
- Use the stairs, not the elevators.
Screen time and sitting down: limit screen time and break up long periods of sitting by doing lunges, star jumps or walking around.