WHO Issues New Exercise Advice For Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) have issued new physical activity guidelines, which offer help and advice for staying fit, active and healthy in the context of a global pandemic. The new guidelines recommend that adults take part in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.

“Up to 5 million deaths a year could be averted if the global population was more active. At a time when many people are homebound due to COVID-19, new WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior, launched today, emphasize that everyone, of all ages and abilities, can be physically active and that every type of movement counts,” the guidelines read.

The official recommendation is that adults, even those with disabilities or chronic conditions, should be taking part in at least 150-300 minutes of aerobic activity every week. WHO studies have found that one in four adults, as well as four in five adolescents, do no partake in enough physical activity. The organization estimates that this costs $54 billion in direct health care and another $14 billion to lost productivity.

“Being physically active is critical for health and well-being – it can help to add years to life and life to years,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Every move counts, especially now as we manage the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. We must all move every day – safely and creatively.”

The importance of women maintaining regular physical activity throughout pregnancy and post-delivery was stressed in the guidelines, as were the palpable health benefits of physical activity for those living with disabilities or chronic conditions.

“Physical activity of any type, and any duration can improve health and wellbeing, but more is always better,” said Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at the World Health Organization, “and if you must spend a lot of time sitting still, whether at work or school, you should do more physical activity to counter the harmful effects of sedentary behavior.”

Those aged 65 years or older were advised to add activities to their exercise routine that focus on balance and coordination, as well as muscle strengthening, in order to reduce the risk of falls and improve general health.

“These new guidelines highlight how important being active is for our hearts, bodies and minds, and how the favorable outcomes benefit everyone, of all ages and abilities”, said Dr Fiona Bull, Head of the Physical Activity Unit, which led the development of the new WHO guidelines.

Regular physical activity is not only key to preventing and managing physical illnesses such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes and cancer, but also reducing symptoms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Moreover, a good amount of physical activity throughout your life reduces cognitive decline, improves memory and boosts the overall health of the brain.

“Generally children/adolescents always report they like to do physical activity to: 1) be with their friends 2) have fun 3) to learn something new,” Craig A. Williams, a professor of pediatric physiology and health and director of the Children’s Health & Exercise Research Centre at the University of Exeter in England told CNN.

The WHO were also keen to stress that all physical activity is beneficial and the requisite exercise can be undertaken in a plethora of different ways. It can be done as part of work, sport and leisure, or even travelling (walking or cycling), but also through less obvious methods like dance, play or everyday household tasks such as cleaning and gardening.

“While large size indoor gathering is discouraged at this moment, outdoor activities … can still be good options,” said Yian Gu, an assistant professor of neurological sciences in the departments of neurology at epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City, via email. “There are also many options for family indoor activities, such as aerobic exercises (and) ping-pong.”

In the guidelines, the WHO encouraged countries and governments around the world to adopt the global guidelines in order to develop national health policies in conjunction with the WHO Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030. The plan was agreed upon and signed at the 71st World Health Assembly in 2018 by global health leaders and has been implemented with the goal of reducing physical inactivity by 15% by 2030.

A healthy, active lifestyle is still possible even if you have chronic conditions, the WHO report stated, offering advice on how those suffering from different conditions could tailor their exercise routine to help them in the most efficient and comfortable way possible.

“Some people with chronic conditions have challenges performing some of the recommended types and amounts of physical activity and may avoid physical activity all together because of concerns about risks,” said Regina Davis, the associate executive director of public health policy and practice for the American Public Health Association.

“The type of physical activity one may be able to do may be different, but there are still benefits.”