How much physical activity do children and young people aged 5
to 18 need to do to keep healthy?
To stay healthy or to improve health, young people need to do
three types of physical activity each week:
- aerobic
- muscle-strengthening and
- bone-strengthening activity.
The amount of physical activity you need to do each week is
determined by your age.
Physical activity for young people aged 5 to 18
To maintain a basic level of health,
children and young people aged 5-18 need to do:
At least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day,
which should be a mix of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such
as fast walking, and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as
running.
On three days a week, these activities should involve
muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, and
bone-strengthening activities, such running.
Many vigorous-intensity aerobic activities can help you
meet your weekly muscle- and bone-strengthening requirements, such
as running,
skipping, gymnastics, martial arts and football.
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What counts as moderate-intensity aerobic activity?
Examples of activities that require
moderate effort for most young people include:
- walking to school
- playing in the playground
- skateboarding
- rollerblading
- walking the dog
- riding a bike on level ground or with few hills
- pushing a lawn mower
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard
enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell
if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk
but you can't sing the words to a song.
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What counts as vigorous-intensity aerobic activity?
Examples of activities that require
vigorous effort for most young people include:
- playing chase
- energetic dancing
- aerobics
- running
- gymnastics
- playing football
- martial arts such as karate
- riding a bike fast or on hills
Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard
and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're
working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few
words without pausing for a breath.
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What counts as muscle-strengthening activity?
For young people, muscle-strengthening
activities are those that require them to lift their own body
weight or to work against a resistance, such as climbing a
rope.
Examples of muscle-strengthening activities suitable for most
young people include:
- games such as tug of war
- rope climbing
- sit-ups
- push-ups
- swinging on playground equipment or bars
- gymnastics
- resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines or
hand-held weights
- rock climbing
Children and young people should take part in activities that
are appropriate for their age and stage of development.
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What counts as bone-strengthening activity?
Bone-strengthening activities are those
that have an impact on the bones. They help bone growth and
strength.
Examples of bone-strengthening activities suitable for most
young people include:
- games such as hopscotch
- hopping, skipping and jumping
- skipping rope
- running
- sports such as gymnastics, football, volleyball and
tennis.
Children and young people should take part in activities that
are appropriate for their age and stage of development.
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Please note: the information on this page has
been taken from NHS
Choices website where more informtation can be found for
different ages groups.