Updated physical activity guidelines show that increasing movement benefits our health and longevity
Published on: 10 Jul 2026
Public Health Wales has welcomed the publication of updated guidelines from the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of the UK, which highlight the importance of movement and physical activity in helping to prevent and protect us against a range of conditions.
The CMOs, including the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Professor Isabel Oliver, have reiterated that even small increases in movement will benefit health and wellbeing, and that going from doing no activity at all to doing some activity is one of the best things that people can do for their physical and mental health.
The guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every week for optimal health benefits, including two strength sessions. The activity can range from ‘incidental exercise’ such as walking, taking the stairs, gardening, dancing, or cleaning among others, through to more vigorous activity such as cycling, running, hiking or swimming. Examples of strength training that can be easily incorporated into daily life include carrying heavy shopping, standing up from a sitting position around 20 times in a row and doing some digging in the garden.
Dr Paul Pilkington, Consultant in Public Health, said: “These updated guidelines include new research that strengthens the evidence that even small amounts of physical activity provide meaningful health benefits compared with being inactive.
“Physical activity doesn’t always need to be vigorous, organised, or expensive. It can be as simple as just taking the stairs instead of a lift, getting off the bus one stop before you need to to get a short walk in, or even having a bit of a kitchen disco while making the dinner.
“The benefits of physical activity on both our physical and mental health are extensive and have been established in the research for decades. For example, having good strength and mobility as we age is really important both for living longer in good health and to prevent falls or musculo-skeletal problems in later life. Evidence shows that moving more is linked to better sleep and mood, as well as improving vital social connections, so finding something that you enjoy will have multiple benefits. “There’s no age limit to start becoming more active and you don’t need any equipment to do so – even just lifting some tins of beans repeatedly on a regular basis will give some benefit over time. Every minute, and movement, counts.
“By adding more movement into your day, you’ll be making an investment in your future health and wellbeing. Remember, some is good, more is better!”