DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines - Eat For Health

Suggested activities include:
moderate activities like brisk walking, bike riding with friends skateboarding and
dancing, walking the dog, replacing short car trips with a walk or bike ride
vigorous activities such as football, netball, soccer, running, swimming laps or
training for sport
trying to be active in as many ways as possible – variety is important in providing a
range of fun experiences and challenges and provides an opportunity to learn new
skills.
A4.4 Physical activity guidelines for Australian adults
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Australian Adults [850] make the following
recommendations.
Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience.
Be active every day in as many ways as possible.
Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most,
preferably all, days.
If possible, also enjoy some regular vigorous exercise for extra health and fitness.
Moderate-intensity activity will cause a slight, but noticeable, increase in your breathing and
heart rate. A good example of moderate-intensity activity is brisk walking, that is at a pace
where you are able to comfortably talk but not sing. Other examples include mowing the
lawn, digging in the garden, or medium paced swimming or cycling. The guidelines note
that accumulated short bouts of moderate-intensity activity of around 10–15 minutes
without stopping is just as effective as continuous activity of at least 30 minutes per day on
most days of the week, which is the minimum level of activity required for preventing or
improving specific health indicators such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes in
adults [967]. However, this level of activity appears to be insufficient for preventing weight
gain or weight loss or weight regain in most people [820, 968].
A4.5 Physical activity recommendations for older Australians
The Physical Activity Recommendations for Older Australians [850] indicate that it is never
too late to become physically active and to feel the associated benefits. Most physical
activities can be adjusted to accommodate older people with a range of abilities and health
problems, including those living in residential care facilities.
There are five physical activity recommendations for older Australians.
Older people should do some form of physical activity, no matter what their age,
weight, health problems or abilities.
Older people should be active every day in as many ways as possible, doing a range
of physical activities that incorporate fitness, strength, balance and flexibility.
DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 171