Physical activity: introduction and policy context
Moderate physical activity (MPA) is an activity such as brisk walking or cycling that requires a moderate amount of effort and noticeably accelerates heart and breathing rate, while vigorous physical activity (VPA) is an activity like running, that requires a large amount of effort and causes rapid breathing and substantial increase in heart rate. The guidelines state that, "Moderate and vigorous activity can be differentiated by the ‘talk test’: being able to talk but not sing indicates moderate intensity activity, while having difficulty talking without pausing is a sign of vigorous activity.” (UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines, p.14).
Health benefits
Regular physical activity of at least moderate intensity provides general health benefits across a range of diseases and across all ages. In particular, there is strong evidence that the greatest health benefits happen when the least active people become moderately active. The health benefits of physical activity were summarised in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report . They include:
- Reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
- Reduced risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, depression, cognitive decline, high blood pressure, obesity and osteoporosis.
- Reduced risk of premature mortality for those with type 2 diabetes.
- Improved strength, coordination and balance. This is particularly important for older people, as it reduces their risk of falls and helps them to maintain their capacity to carry out common activities of daily living.
Health risks of inactivity and sedentary behaviour
Inactive and sedentary behaviours involve sitting, lying or reclining during waking hours, undertaking little movement and/or using little energy above what is used at rest (UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines, p. 47). Evidence suggests that prolonged sedentary behaviour may increase the risk of some health outcomes, independently of physical activity levels (UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines, p. 24, 33, 41).
Recommended levels
In 2019, updated UK physical activity guidelines were published by the four Chief Medical Officers of the UK home countries. The guidelines differ for different age groups, with the full guidelines available in the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines.
Policy context
The Scottish Government’s Active Scotland Outcomes Framework sets out the Government’s ambitions for sport and physical activity. The Framework is supported by Scotland's Physical Activity Delivery Plan, A More Active Scotland, launched in July 2018. Other national strategies and plans include Let's get Scotland walking, the Cycling Framework for Active Travel, Sport Scotland's Sport for Life and Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework.
One of Scotland’s six Public Health Priorities is: 'A Scotland where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active'.
Links to other policy documents of relevance to physical activity in Scotland are available from the Physical Activity Policy section on the Public Health Scotland website.
