WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour 2020
New WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour have just been launched. These guidelines update the previous WHO recommendations released in 2010 and provide evidence-based recommendations for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults on the amount of physical activity required to offer significant health benefits and mitigate health risks.
For the first time, the guidelines include recommendations on reducing sedentary behaviour and address specific subpopulations, such as pregnant and postpartum women, and people living with chronic conditions or disability.
All adults should undertake 150–300 min of moderate-intensity, or 75–150 min of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or some equivalent combination of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, per week.
The guidelines recommend regular muscle-strengthening activity for all age groups. Additionally, reducing sedentary behaviours is recommended across all age groups and abilities, although evidence was insufficient to quantify a sedentary behaviour threshold.
Among children and adolescents, an average of 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity across the week provides health benefits.
