This post was written by Leslie Angel, NP-C, DipACLM, Employer Clinics, Parkview Employer Solutions.
The average lifespan in the United States has been declining in recent years, despite so many advances in medicine. In 2021, the expected lifespan in the U.S. was 76.1 years, which is 2.8 years less than in 2014. Not only is our lifespan dropping, but overall, our healthspan (years of good health) is also declining. Much of this decline is attributed to physical inactivity and poor diet.
It's estimated that 110,000 deaths among adults 40 years of age and older could have been prevented with the simple lifestyle change of adding moderate to vigorous physical exercise weekly. This is because physical inactivity leads to chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as depression, anxiety and fatigue. Physical inactivity is also a contributing factor to cancers, including breast, endometrial and colon cancer.
How to add more movement
Increasing physical activity can reverse already diagnosed conditions, including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension, and add years to your life and overall well-being.
Minor changes to increase physical activity can be incorporated into your day, even in small increments. Consider starting with brisk walking for 15 minutes over a lunch break or before work. Add in biking or pickleball. Pick an activity you enjoy.
Any amount of activity is beneficial to your overall health, however, to reduce the risk of chronic disease, one needs a minimum of 150 minutes weekly of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. The easiest way to determine the intensity of the activity you are participating in is by taking the talk test:
- You are at moderate intensity if you can talk but not sing.
- You are at vigorous intensity if you cannot say more than a few words.
Examples of moderate activity
You want 150-300 minutes/week of moderate activity, meaning you can talk but cannot sing while doing the activity. This might be …
- Brisk walking
- Water aerobics
- Heavy cleaning
- Mowing lawn
- Light bicycling
- Recreational badminton
- Tennis doubles
Examples of vigorous activity
You want 75-150 minutes/week of vigorous activity, meaning it’s difficult to talk while doing the activity. This might include …
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Strenuous hiking
- Fast bicycling
- Sports like basketball, soccer, hockey, etc.
- Martial arts
Employee resources to support a healthy workforce
Parkview Employer Solutions partners with area businesses, delivering innovative services to improve the health and well-being of employees including include Occupational Health, Proactive Injury Care, Employee Assistance Programs, Workplace Wellness, Employer Clinics, Diabetes Care Direct and more. Contact ParkviewEmployerSolutions@parkview.com for additional information.
