The report is based on the findings of a panel convened by the National Institutes of Health to review medical literature and expert testimony on physical activity and cardiovascular health. The panel found significant evidence that being in good shape reduces the odds of dying from cardiovascular disease. One study of 32,000 people found that the least fit men faced about the same risk of dying of heart disease as men with high cholesterol readings. The report noted, however, that although the public has responded to the threat of cholesterol, they have not heeded warnings that being a couch potato may be just as dangerous. According to national surveys, one in every four adults is physically inactive, and an additional third don't exert themselves enough to reap health benefits.
Many children become less active as they move through adolescence.
One explanation for the lack of interest in activity may be that many people don't realize how little it takes to lower cardiovascular risks. According to the report, accumulating just 30 minutes of moderate physical effort on most, or preferably all days of the week, is enough to provide most of the cardiovascular benefits that have been reported. Neither are strenuous workouts. According to the panel, activity requirements can be met by such ordinary tasks as walking, cycling, yard work or home repair, if they are performed with moderate intensity. The effort can even be divided into bouts as short as ten minutes, as long as the 30 minute total is reached.