The four UK Chief Medical Officers (CMO)  have today (11th July) published new physical activity guidelines covering early years; children and young people; adults; and older adults.

These guidelines have a renewed focus on being active everyday and spell out the recommended minimum levels of activity for each age group:

• Under-fives - 180 minutes – (three hours) – each day, once a child is able to walk. For non-walkers physical activity should be encouraged from birth, particularly through floor-based play and water-based activities in safe environments.
• Children and young people (5-18 year olds) - 60 minutes and up to several hours every day of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. Three days a week should include vigorous intensity activities that strengthen muscle and bone.
• Adults (19-64 years old) and older people (65+) - 150 minutes – (two and half hours) – each week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (and adults should aim to do some physical activity every day). Muscle strengthening activity should also be included twice a week.

'Start Active, Stay Active' updates the existing guidelines for children, young people and adults, and includes for the first time in the UK, new guidelines for early years and older people. The flexibility of the guidelines creates new ways to achieve the health benefits of an active lifestyle, while retaining a strong link to previous recommendations. For all age groups, they highlight the risks of excessive sedentary behaviour, which exist independently of any overall volume of physical activity.

Download Start Active, Stay Active: a report on physical activity for health from the four home countries’ Chief Medical Officers

To support these guidelines the Department of Health has produced a number of factsheets outlining the guidelines for each age group:

Download Factsheet 1: Early years (under 5s not yet walking)
Download Factsheet 2: Early years (under 5s capable of walking)
Download Factsheet 3: Children and young people (5-18 years)
Download Factsheet 4: Adults (19-64 years)
Download Factsheet 5: Older adults (65+ years)

How do Zest People use these guidelines to help you?

This is where Zest People come in. Zest People provide schemes and programs such as ‘The Exercise Referral Programme’ and the ‘Feeling Good and Balanced’ programme is an evidence based programme of structured seated and standing exercises designed to improve balance, strength and coordination for the older, frailer adult. This program specialises on helping older and frailer adults become more active to live a healthier lifestyle. The ‘ZestERS’ is a programme, which is designed to initiate long-term lifestyle changes by encouraging an increase in physical activity levels. The scheme offers 3 months of highly subsidised exercise under the guidance and support from professional trainers.

Written By Richard Davies, work experience student at Newtown High School.

Zest People delivered on behaviour change training for National charity StreetGames... Read More...

We are excited to announce the Feeling Good and Balanced has found it’s feet in Chichester and commenced on 2nd June 2011. Read More...

We are delighted to announce the successful bid from Chichester District Wellbeing Fund for Feeling Good and Balanced in Chichester.

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Are you an NHS Trust, GP Group or Surgery seeking a training provider for the NHS “Let’s get moving” programme? Are you keen to train health professionals in behaviour change, to empower patients’ to take responsibility for their own wellbeing?

Zest People are delighted to be working in partnership with Zest Consultancy, to offer our latest specialist course: Let’s get moving - Modules 1 & 2 Training and Support. Let Zest help you achieve your health and wellbeing targets.
Contact either Rachel or Stuart or download the training flyer

Details
This workshop is aimed at individuals who are serious about making a positive change to their health and lifestyle.
Zest People's Developing Change (intro) workshop is a must for individuals looking to change their current lifestyle or practitioners wanting to learn and develop skills and understanding in behaviour change.

Who should attend?
Suitable for anyone wanting to take away simple tools and techniques to improve their physical activity levels, manage their weight, stop smoking or reduce stress levels.

When?
Please follow this link for details of available workshop dates.

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