Adults
Government guidelines recommend that healthy adults take part in
aerobic activity of moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes a week or
vigorous intensity for 75 minutes a week.6
Aerobic activity uses large
muscles such as the legs and back and makes the heart beat faster. In
addition, the guidelines recommend that people do activities that strengthen
muscles (such as weight training or push-ups) at least twice a week.
Some studies measure physical activity by people’s self-report of what
they do. Other studies use a tool that records movement as it occurs.
Researchers consider the studies using tools to be more accurate. A
study conducted in 2003–2004 that used this type of tool to measure
physical activity found that only about 3 to 5 percent of adults meet
these recommendations.7