Physical activity
Find out more about the Physical Activity programme of work being taken forward by NHS Health Scotland and our partners.
Background and Policy Information
Find out more about the policies behind NHS Health Scotland's work on Physical Activity.
View definition of physical activity and how much physical activity is healthy
Find physical activity learning opportunities
Physical Activity and Health Alliance (external link)
The Physical Activity and Health Alliance (PAHA) is a joint collaboration facilitated by NHS Health Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. It exists to support physical activity and health practitioners in Scotland in the implementation of the Scottish Physical Activity Strategy 'Let's Make Scotland More Active' (external link) (Scottish Executive, 2003).
The Physical Activity and Health Alliance website provides practitioners in the field of physical activity and health in Scotland with an interactive vehicle for two-way communication through which existing evidence, policy and practice will be disseminated and members encouraged to share knowledge and learning.
The Alliance will:
- disseminate existing evidence, policy and practice
- provide opportunities to enhance knowledge, enable learning and improve practice
- be a central hub of resources, tools and links
- act as a national forum for sharing ideas, promoting discussion and stimulating debate
- build capacity across the Physical Activity workforce.
Visit the PAHA website (external link)
News and Events
Our national physical activity strategy 'Let’s Make Scotland More Active' was launched in 2003. A national review group including Scottish Government representatives, NHS Health Scotland and physical activity experts has undertaken a review of the strategy to take stock and evaluate progress made since 2003. The review group, chaired by John Beattie (former head of the Task Force), reported in December 2008 with recommendations for priority action in the next five years. View more information about the policy review on the Evaluation page.
NHS Health Scotland has been tasked with the planning and delivery of the national rollout of Play@Home. Play@Home is a physical activity programme for children under five and is to be made universally available to all parents across Scotland. For further information please contact Irene Miller, Play@Home National Coordinator: irene.miller@health.scot.nhs.uk, 0131 313 7574
Physical Activity Learning
Details of opportunities for learning and training on physical activity issues and related networks for sharing knowledge and best practices.
Definition of 'Physical Activity'
The First International Consensus Statement on physical activity, fitness and health recognised that physical activity is a general term to describe any movement of the body that uses energy. WHO Europe uses the more technical definition of physical activity as ‘any force exerted by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure above resting level’.
- This deliberately broad definition means that virtually all types of physical activity are of interest: exercise, sport, play, dance and ‘active living’ such as walking, cycling for transport, housework, gardening and work.
Sport and exercise are seen as particular types of physical activity: sport usually involving some form of competition, and exercise usually being taken to improve fitness and health. We do get fitter as we get more active, but the goal for good health is to increase the amount of physical activity that we do. In doing more physical activity, we will develop the health-related areas of our fitness. These are cardiovascular fitness (our heart, lungs and circulatory systems), muscle strength and stamina, flexibility and body composition (percentage of body fat).
- Given the very broad range of ways in which we can be active, there is no single department, agency or organisation that currently develops and promotes and delivers all areas of physical activity.
Physical Activity: how much is healthy?
There is international consensus on the amount and type of physical activity recommended to improve and maintain health. The message has three components:
• time
• intensity
• frequency.
All adults should accumulate (build up) at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on at least five days a week. For older adults (over the age of 55), including those who are frail, three sessions a week of strength and balance exercises are also recommended.
Children should accumulate (build up) at least one hour of moderate activity on at least five days a week. At least twice a week this should include activities to improve bone health (activities that produce high physical stresses on the bone), muscle strength and flexibility.
‘Moderate’ intensity raises the heartbeat and leaves the person feeling warm and slightly out of breath - the equivalent of brisk walking. It increases the body’s metabolism to 3-6 times the resting level and uses about 5-7 calories a minute. Research tells us that vigorous activity confers greater health benefits, but promoting moderate activities is considered to be the most appropriate and effective for those who are currently inactive.
reviewed 27 January 2010