“PUBLIC misled on exercise needs” was the headline that caught my eye this week. What it didn’t convey was the confusion that has prevailed for a while now about how much we should exercise.

   According to a study in Preventive Medicine this week, many Britons wrongly believe that moderate exercise is as beneficial as a vigorous workout. The authors assert that it’s actually vigorous exercise that is best for averting disease – and the public has been misled by NHS guidelines saying that a brisk walk, doing the gardening or a few laps of the pool can improve health.

   In 2004, the Chief Medical Officer firmly told the nation that too many of us think we’re already active enough and recommended five 30-minute sessions of moderate activity a week.

   So what is “moderate” activity? Brisk walks were the example given. But was the advice based on science or was it pragmatism in the face of a bone-idle nation? About 80 per  cent of us do no formal exercise, so there’s the suspicion that campaigns have always set the bar low, so as not to put people off.

   I researched this issue for a recent radio programme and we found it impossible to get any sort of consensus on the right amount of exercise. One lot of scientists said you had to get sweaty to get any benefit from exercise, and another lot said that even a brisk bit of Hoovering was useful. 

   Indeed, as recently as last August, two studies were published contradicting each other: one saying that 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week was needed for good health, while the other said that a regular walk conferred significant health benefits.

   Is it any surprise that the public is confused?

   It’s not helpful that there are no simple measures to guide us in judging whether we’re getting enough exercise for it to have a health benefit. It’s not as simple as hopping on a set of scales. Some experts suggest that being able to walk a mile in 15-17 minutes is a good test of your fitness. Personally, I have my own measure: the killer hill outside the Tube. Puffing at the top? I need to do more.

   But don’t despair of exercising at all. What we do know is this, and it’s important: some exercise is better than none – the biggest health gains from exercise is in those who had previously done none; doing more is even better than doingless; and getting sweaty shows your heart is getting the workout it needs. Fitness is not just for the young; exercise becomes more important as we age, giving us stability, agility, fitness and get-up-and-go.

   So, tomorrow, despite the experts’ confusion, take the first step: even if it’s just up those stairs a bit faster. 

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