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These guidelines are issued by the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They draw on global evidence for the health benefits people can achieve by taking regular physical activity throughout their lives. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions including coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems and musculoskeletal conditions. Even relatively small increases in physical activity are associated with some protection against chronic diseases and an improved quality of life.

These benefits can deliver cost savings for health and social care services. However, the benefits of physical activity extend further to improved productivity in the workplace, reduced congestion and pollution through active travel, and healthy development of children and young people.

These guidelines also allow greater flexibility for achieving the recommended levels of physical activity. Bringing all of these aspects together creates a number of key features of this report, including:

• A lifecourse approach

• A stronger recognition of the role of vigorous intensity activity

• The flexibility to combine moderate and vigorous intensity activity

• An emphasis upon daily activity

• New guidelines on sedentary behaviour