Staying active is essential for maintaining good health and wellbeing. Regular physical activity can help you build strong muscles and bones, improve your respiratory, cardiovascular, and general health, and even lower your risk of developing certain types of cancer. Exercise provides oxygen and nutrients to tissues and helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently. When your heart and lungs are healthy, you'll have more energy to cope with daily tasks.
Physical activity can also help you control your weight, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious illnesses. Studies have shown that regular exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, heart health, and body composition. It can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Exercise can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer by up to 30%.
Keeping your bones, joints, and muscles healthy is important for being able to do daily activities and stay physically active. Regardless of age, gender, or physical ability, regular physical activity has immediate and long-term health benefits and improves overall quality of life. Vigorous activity can provide even more health benefits than moderate activity. WHO guidelines provide details on the amount of physical activity needed for good health for different age groups and specific population groups.
Adults who sit less and engage in any amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintain a healthy body weight, and can improve mental health, quality of life, and wellbeing.Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a healthy diet. WHO collaborates with the International Olympic Committee and International Sports Federations to support health promotion through sport.
