Physical Activity Prevents Chronic Disease | CDC

Physical Activity Prevents Chronic Disease | CDC

Physical Activity Prevents Chronic Disease

CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Physical Activity
Prevents Chronic Disease

Regular physical activity helps improve your overall health, fitness, and quality of life. It also helps reduce your risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, many types of cancer, depression and anxiety, and dementia.

What Is Physical Activity?

CARDIO OR AEROBIC ACTIVITY

Moderate or vigorous
intensity, every
minute counts

Gets you breathing
harder and your
heart beating faster

Examples:
brisk walking, biking,
dancing, yard work

MUSCLE STRENGTHENING

Works best when you
work all your body’s
major muscle groups

Includes legs, hips,
back, chest, abs,
shoulders, arms

Examples:
free weights, crunches,
elastic bands, squats

Everyone can benefit from physical activity—no matter your age,
sex, race or ethnicity, health condition, shape or size.

How Much

Physical Activity

Do You Need?

Try walking 30 minutes
a day, 5 days a week.

150

minutes each week

ADULTS

At least 150 minutes
of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity every
week, plus muscle-
strengthening activities
at least 2 days a week

KIDS

(6-17 years)
60 minutes (1 hour)
or more of physical
activity each day

PRESCHOOL-
AGED CHILDREN

(3-5 years)
should be
physically active
throughout the day
with plenty of opportunities
for active play.

Fitting regular physical activity into your schedule may seem hard at first, but you can
reach your goals through different types and amounts of physical activity each week.

Tips to Get and Stay Active

Talk to your doctor
if you have a chronic
condition like type
2 diabetes or
heart disease.

Get the support
of your friends and
family—and invite them
to get active with you!

Start slowly and add
time, frequency, or
intensity every week.

Schedule physical
activity for times in the
day or week when
you’re most energetic.

Plan ahead.
Make physical
activity part of
your daily or
weekly schedule.

Walk instead of
drive to nearby
destinations or park
the car farther away
and fit in a walk
to your destination.

Support improvements
in your neighborhood
that make it easier to
walk or bike to where
you want to go.

Learn more about physical activity at www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity.

Physical Activity Prevents Chronic Disease pdf icon[PDF – 1 MB]