Why Moving Matters When You Leave Home

At home, school PE, a sports academy or a family walk after dinner may have kept you active without you planning it. At university you can sit in lectures, sit in the library and sit at your desk all day, so it helps to know what the guidelines actually ask for and why they are worth your time.

What the guidelines say for your age

• If you are 15 to 17, WHO recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day, and says more than 60 minutes brings extra benefits.
• WHO also asks under 18s to include activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 times a week.
• The NHS phrases the youth target as an average of at least 60 minutes a day across the week, so a long Saturday hike can balance a busy Tuesday.
• From 18, WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that work the major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week (WHO).
• For extra health benefits, WHO suggests adults build up towards 300 minutes of moderate activity a week.

Moderate or vigorous: the talk test

• Moderate means you can still talk but not sing, according to the NHS and CDC.
• Vigorous means you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
• The CDC's 0 to 10 effort scale puts moderate at 5 or 6 and vigorous at 7 or 8, where 0 is sitting still and 10 is your maximum.
• Moderate examples: brisk walking, riding a bike, dancing, doubles tennis, hiking (NHS).
• Vigorous examples: running, swimming, fast or hilly cycling, walking up stairs, skipping, martial arts, football (NHS).

Why it is worth it

• In young people, WHO links activity with better fitness, heart and metabolic health, bone health, thinking skills and mental health.
• In adults, WHO links it with better mental health, thinking and sleep, and a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
• The NHS lists improved self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, and reduced stress, all of which matter in your first year away.
• The NHS says regular exercise can lower the risk of early death by up to 30%.
• Movement is about what your body can do and how you feel, not how it looks.

The sitting problem

• The NHS says many adults sit for more than 7 hours a day, and student life (lectures, revision, screens) makes that easy.
• Meeting your weekly activity target does not fully protect you if you spend the rest of the time sitting or lying down, the NHS warns.
• WHO advises all age groups to limit time spent sitting, and the NHS suggests breaking up long periods of not moving with some activity.
• A simple rule: at the end of every study block, stand up, walk to refill your water bottle or climb a flight of stairs.

You are not alone if you find it hard

• WHO reports that about 81% of adolescents aged 11 to 17 worldwide are not active enough.
• WHO also reports that about 31% of adults, roughly 1.8 billion people, are insufficiently active.
• WHO's message is that any amount of activity is better than none and all activity counts, so a 10-minute walk is a real start.