What types of activities can be used to achieve your moderate to vigorous physical activity?

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Physical activity guidelines by age
Order the guidelines
Summary by age
Children and young people
How we developed the guidelines

Staying active regularly is essential for good physical and mental health and wellbeing. This is true no matter how young or old you are. But the amount of activity varies, depending on your age.

To help Australians understand how much activity they need, we have developed physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for each age group and for pregnancy.

These guidelines outline:

how much physical activity you should do each day
ideas to fit more physical activity into your daily lives
the importance of reducing and breaking up the time you spend sitting or lying down when not sleeping
how much sedentary screen time is recommended
how much sleep children and young people should get
how children and young people can get good quality sleep.

Physical activity guidelines by age

Find the guidelines that apply to you.

For infants, toddler and preschoolers (birth to 5 years)
Read about how much activity small children should do each day, limiting sitting and screen time, and making sure they get enough sleep.
For children and young people (5 to 17 years)
Read about how much activity children and young people should do each day, limiting sitting and screen time, and getting enough sleep.
For adults (18 to 64 years)
Read about how much activity adults should do each day and limiting sitting time.
For pregnancy
Read about how much activity should be done each day and limiting sitting time during pregnancy for the health and wellbeing of both mum and bub.
For older Australians (65 years and over)
Read about how much activity older Australians should do each day, and how to build activity into daily life.
For people with disability and chronic conditions
While there are no formal guidelines for people with disability and chronic conditions, being active is important for everyone. Find out what you can do to include activity in your day according to your ability.

Order the guidelines

You can order the following printed resources by emailing or calling 02 6269 1080. Provide:

the order ID number
how many copies you need
your delivery address.

Title	Order ID number
Make your move – sit less, be active for life – adults (18 to 64 years)	NA0109
Make your move – sit less, be active for life – family guide	NA0110
24-hour movement guidelines – birth to 5 years – brochure	NA0116
24-hour movement guidelines – children and young people (5 to 17 years) – brochure	NA0117
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines – pregnancy – poster	NA0118
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines – pregnancy – brochure	NA0119

Summary by age

Children and young people

Recommendations	Under 12 months	1 to 2 years	3 to 5 years	5 to 17 years
Physical activity	Interactive floor-based play, and at least 30 minutes of tummy time for babies per day.	At least 3 hours of energetic play per day.	At least 3 hours per day, with 1 hour being energetic play.	At least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous activity involving mainly aerobic activities per day. Vigorous activities should be incorporated at least 3 days per week. Several hours of light activities per day.
Strength				At least 3 days a week.
Sedentary time	Do not restrain for more than 1 hour at a time.	Do not restrain for more than 1 hour at a time.	Do not restrain for more than 1 hour at a time.	Minimise and break up long periods of sitting.
Sedentary recreational screen time	None.	Under 2 years: None. 2 years: No more than 1 hour per day.	No more than 1 hour per day.	No more than 2 hours per day.
Sleep	0 to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours. 4 to 11 months: 12 to 16 hours. This includes naps.	11 to 14 hours, including naps.	10 to 13 hours. Some will still need naps.	5 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours. 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours.

Adults

Recommendations	18 to 64 years	Pregnancy	65 years and over
Physical activity	Be active on most (preferably all) days, to weekly total of: 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate activity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination of both.	Be active on most (preferably all) days, to weekly total of: 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate activity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination of both. Do pelvic floor exercises.	At least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most (preferably all) days.
Strength	At least 2 days a week.	At least 2 days a week.	Do a range of activities that incorporate fitness, strength, balance and flexibility.
Sedentary time	Minimise and break up long periods of sitting.	Minimise and break up long periods of sitting.

How we developed the guidelines

We developed Australia’s physical activity guidelines based on:

a rigorous review of scientific evidence from around the world
extensive consultation with stakeholders, state and territory governments, and national and international experts.

We looked at how health is directly affected by:

the physical activity people do – including the amount, frequency, intensity and type of activity
the amount of time people spend sitting or lying down
the amount and quality of sleep children and young people get.

We have summarised the scientific evidence that support each of the guidelines.

Originally written by Nikki Prosch, former SDSU Extension Health & Physical Activity Field Specialist.

Physical activity of all kinds can be performed in a variety of intensities, ranging between light, moderate, and vigorous (high) intensity activity. Understanding the difference between intensity levels is important to understanding the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Light intensity activities require the least amount of effort, compared to moderate and vigorous activities. The definition for light intensity activity is an activity that is classified as < 3 METS. One MET, or metabolic equivalent, is the amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest. Thus, an activity classified as 2 METS would be equal to 2 times the amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest (1 MET). METS are a convenient and standard method for describing absolute intensity of physical activities. Some examples of light physical activities include: walking slowly (i.e. shopping, walking around the office), sitting at your computer, making the bed, eating, preparing food, and washing dishes.

Moderate intensity activities are defined as activities ranging between 3 - < 6 METS. These activities require more oxygen consumption that light activities. Some examples of moderate physical activities include: sweeping the floor, walking briskly, slow dancing, vacuuming, washing windows, shooting a basketball.

Vigorous intensity activities are defined as activities ≥ 6 METS. Vigorous activities require the highest amount of oxygen consumption to complete the activity. Examples of vigorous physical activities include: running (5 mph >), swimming, shoveling, soccer, jumping rope, carrying heavy loads (i.e. bricks).

An easy way to estimate intensity of activities is through a method called the “talk test”. This method is a simple, practical way for individuals to measure their activity intensity. If you are doing a moderate intensity activity, you can talk, but not sing during the activity. If you are doing a vigorous intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without taking a breath.

For intensity levels of common daily activities visit the Compendium of Physical Activities.

For more information, contact Nikki Prosch at the SDSU Extension Watertown Regional Center at 605.882.5140.