Adequate physical activity in adults

The national guidelines relating to physical activity and sedentary behaviour were updated in 2014 and this definition has been applied to the entire time series of indicators reporting on physical activity in HealthStats NSW. Different criteria for physical activity are defined by national guidelines for different age groups. National reporting on physical activity is focused on 'insufficient' levels of physical activity (see reports from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare at https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/biomedical-risk-factors/risk-factors-to-health/contents/insufficient-physical-activity ).

The 2014 guideline for adults aged 18 to 64 years recommends a combination of moderate and vigorous activities on most or all days of the week, as well as strength training on at least two days and minimising sedentary behaviour, especially prolonged sitting. In order to capture the intent of the 2014 guideline, for adults aged 18-64 years in NSW, sufficient physical activity is defined as undertaking moderate intensity physical activity for a total of at least 150 minutes per week over five separate occasions. Insufficient physical activity includes either those undertaking no moderate intensity physical activity or undertaking less than 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week or the moderate intensity physical activity was undertaken over fewer than five separate occasions per week.

Current guidelines for older Australians aged 65 years and over recommend 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, or preferably all, days. The same questions and calculation method to all those aged 16 years and over, despite some differences in the guidelines for different adult age groups are applied in HealthStats NSW physical activity indicators.

The total minutes of physical activity are calculated by adding minutes in the last week spent walking continuously for at least 10 minutes, minutes doing moderate physical activity, and minutes doing vigorous physical activity multiplied by two. This calculation corresponds with the definition and questions asked in the Active Australia Survey (AIHW 2003).

The questions used to define the indicator were: In the last week, how many times have you walked continuously for at least 10 minutes for recreation or exercise or to get to or from places? What do you estimate was the total time you spent walking in this way in the last week? In the last week, how many times did you do any vigorous physical activity that made you breathe harder or puff and pant? What do you estimate was the total time you spent doing this vigorous physical activity in the last week? In the last week, how many times did you do any other more moderate physical activity that you have not already mentioned?

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The Active Australia Survey: a guide and manual for implementation, analysis and reporting. Canberra: AIHW, 2003.

Department of Health. Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines: Adults. Australian Government, 2014.

Department of Health. Choose health: Be active. A physical activity guide for older Australians. Australian Government, 2008.