Are You Physically Active?

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Are you physically active? Take this quiz and find out!

Question #1: Moderate Intensity

How much moderate-intensity exercise do you get in a week?

a. Fewer than 150 minutes
b. Roughly 150 minutes
c. More than 150 minutes

Question #2: Vigorous Intensity

How much vigorous-intensity exercise do you get in a week?

a. Fewer than 75 minutes
b. Roughly 75 minutes
c. More than 75 minutes

Question #3: Strength

How often do you do muscle-strengthening activities each week?

a. Fewer than 2 days per week
b. 2 days per week
c. More than 2 days per week

Question #4: Health

True or false: Regular physical activity provides major health benefits, no matter how weight changes over time.

Question #5: Seeking Activity

How likely are you to seek out physical activity? For example, are you more likely to skip the elevator and take the stairs? Park farther from your destination? Go for a walk at lunch?

a. Not likely at all
b. Somewhat likely
c. Very likely

Quiz Results and Discussion:

If you answered most often with a, then you are not very physically active.

If you answered most often with b, then you are physically active.

If you answered most often with c, then you are very physically active.

The correct answer to #4 is true, so if you got that right, consider yourself savvy.

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, “For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes […] a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes […] a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination.”

The guidelines also assert “Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities […] on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.”

Note that you don’t have to answer b to both question 1 and question 2 in order to consider yourself physically active — doing one or the other or a combination of the two will net you substantial health benefits.

So what are these benefits we keep talking about? The Physical Activity Guidelines capture them best, saying that there is strong evidence that regular physical activity offers a lower risk of...

• Adverse blood lipid profile
• Breast Cancer
• Colon cancer
• Coronary heart disease
• Deptression
• Early death
• Falls
• High blood pressure
• Metabolic syndrome
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Weight gain

Regular exercise can also lead to better cognitive function for older adults.

For More Information:

1. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf
2. Summary of Physical Activity Guidelines http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx

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