Due to the increasing numbers of Americans who are currently either overweight or obese, the United States Department of Health (DOH) has responded with the understanding that although regular moderate exercise has been shown to have multiple health and weight benefits, the DOH knows that not everyone has the time or the money to work out at a gym 5 times a week. As a result, the DOH has published a new set of official exercise guidelines for 2012 to help combat obesity and improve overall fitness that are designed to be carried out in the office at work, or around the house, without requiring a trip to the gym.
The department’s new workplace exercise guidelines are designed to combat the fact that most Americans spend far too much time sitting down everyday. The DOH now recommends that all desk-bound office workers should start performing a few simple work outs in the office to fight obesity and improve their overall health at the same time.
According to the Department of Health guidelines, performing two and a half hours of exercise per week, or just 30 minutes of exercise per day, will improve a person’s health significantly.
The new Department of Health guidelines include suggestions like standing up while talking on the phone and using the stairs whenever possible, but perhaps the most innovative tips are the recommendations to perform two muscle strengthening sessions a week with some moderate-to-heavy lifting around the office. The department’s studies have shown that people who remain inactive at a desk for more than six hours a day have a 40% greater risk of developing heart disease or cancer. Unfortunately, the same studies also show that only one third of American adults actually complete the recommended amounts of exercise. The new DOH guidelines also apply to children and recommend that instead of laying around playing video games all day, children over the age of 5 should actually be exercising twice as much as adults.
In the face of government estimates that say six Americans out of ten are currently either overweight or obese, it is no surprise that the DOH guidelines recommend that all adults should attempt to perform some form of minimum exercise every day like running, cycling, walking or even just working around the yard. Many different studies have produced evidence that sitting down for extended periods of time like all office workers do, can lead to the onset of serious health problems. Because most office environments contribute to the problem, the DOH says that office workers should to try to break up the amount of time they spend sitting at a desk or in front of a computer and take breaks to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The DOH also now recommends that people over age 65 should get at least two and a half hours of exercise per week to help maintain their health, strength and balance.