Every bit counts

How much activity do you need for health benefits?

You don't need to hit big targets to benefit. Some activity is better than none, and health benefits show up below the recommended amounts. If you're not yet meeting the guidelines, start with small amounts and build up how often, how hard and how long you're active over time¹.

The WHO says adults, including those aged 65 and over, should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix. Its ranges are 150–300 minutes and 75–150 minutes. This is a minimum to aim for, and going beyond it is fine. At moderate effort you can talk but not sing. Activity of any length counts towards the weekly amounts; there's no minimum of 10 minutes at a time.

The biggest reductions in the risk of many health problems come in the first 100 or so minutes a week, as you move from doing nothing to doing some. Risks of early death, heart disease and cancer are appreciably lower from the equivalent of 75 minutes a week or less of moderate activity, which is half the recommended minimum². Doing less than the goal isn't wasted.

Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity, working all major muscle groups, on at least 2 days a week. That is a minimum too, and any strength activity is better than none.

If you count steps, benefits are seen from about 3,000 steps a day³. Gains tend to level off at around 5,000 to 7,000 steps a day⁴, though another figure puts the best amount nearer 8,763 steps a day⁵. The exact point isn't clear yet, so treat these as a range rather than a target. The popular 10,000-step goal has little to support it as a necessary target⁶.

Does being active help you live longer?

Being more active is linked with a lower risk of early death. In middle-aged and older adults, more activity and less time spent sitting go with a substantially lower risk⁷.

The biggest gains come at the start. Even low levels of activity are linked with lower risk than being inactive, and the largest difference is between inactive and minimally active people⁸. In inactive adults, most of the gain came by about the amount of activity equal to the recommended 150 minutes a week, with smaller extra gains above that². So the first small steps from being inactive give the biggest return, and you don't have to wait until you can reach the full amount.

The NHS says exercise can lower the risk of major illnesses such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer¹⁰.

These are links, not proof. Healthier people may also be more active, so the numbers may overstate the effect, and they can't show that more steps cause a longer life⁹. The practical message stays the same: move a little more than you do now, and build up gradually.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If you have a long-term condition such as osteoporosis or kidney disease, ask your doctor or physio which types of activity suit you.

Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.

For anything else, such as a sore muscle or joint, or a condition flaring, ease off. See a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse.