Exercise Is Medicine

This Viewpoint discusses evidence that the beneficial effects of physical activity may vary depending on activity levels. Physical inactivity has been labelled a pandemic due to its increasing global prevalence and its health, economic, environmental, and social consequences. More than half of US adults fail to meet the 2008 physical activity recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily (e.g., brisk walking, dancing, and gardening) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise weekly (e.g., running, fast cycling, and competitive sports). Hence, increasing physical activity is essential for public health because it improves primary and secondary disease prevention across the population.