Every Move Counts – National Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Ireland

The benefits of regular physical activity, at moderate to vigorous levels, for our overall health are immense. It improves our heart health, reduces risk of developing cancer and chronic diseases such a type-2 diabetes and well as improving our mood and sleep.

We also know that, even for people who are regularly active, spending a lot of time in sedentary activity, can undermine many of these benefits. For example, in adults, higher amounts of sedentary activity are associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer and type-2 diabetes.

Sedentary activity would include most desk-based office work, driving a car, and watching television or other screen time activities. Replacing this sedentary time, where possible, with activity of any intensity – essentially moving more everyday – is strongly advised to protect health.

We now have new National Physical Activity and Sedentary Guidelines for Ireland which can help people to make choices to increasing their physical activity levels. The more time spent being physically active, the greater the health benefits – even relatively small increases in moderate level physical activity, up to 5 hours a week, can contribute to improved health.

New recommendations for each age group include:

Infants aged less than a year should:

• be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play
• not be secured for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/strollers, high chairs, or strapped on a caregiver’s back)

Children aged 1-2 years should:

• spend at least 3 hours in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, spread throughout the day
• not be secured for more than 1 hour at a time (for example: prams/strollers, high chairs, or strapped on a caregiver’s back) or sit for extended periods of time

Children aged 3 - 4 years should:

• spend at least 3 hours in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 1 hour is moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day
• not be secured for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/strollers) or sit for extended periods of time

Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years, including those living a disability should:

• at least an average of 1 hour per day of moderate-to vigorous-intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week
• additional activities that strengthen muscle and bones, should be incorporated at least 3 days a week
• for some people with certain disabilities (for example: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy) a reduced level of physical activity may be adequate to attain significant health benefits, considering their higher energy cost of physical activity

Adults aged 18-64 years, aged 65+ including those living with a disability:

• at least 2 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity; or at least 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week
• additional muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups are recommended on 2 or more days a week
• as part of their weekly physical activity, older adults (aged 65+) and older adults living with a disability should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasises functional balance and strength training on 3 or more days a week, to enhance strength and capacity and to prevent falls

Limiting sedentary activity is also a key recommendation across all age groups. The Guidelines recommend limiting sedentary time and time spent sitting and replacing with any type of movement or physical activity. Screen time is a very common type of sedentary activity, particularly screen time for young children and adolescents. Screen time includes time spent watching screen-based entertainment (TV, computer, mobile devices).