By Erika Aldrich
Heart health is on a lot of people’s minds during the beginning of the year, but it should be a major focus year-round as heart disease is this nation’s leading killer of both men and women. Heart disease accounts for nearly one in four deaths in this county. Although many cases of heart disease occur because of our genetics and family history, the fact remains most cases of heart disease are preventable with lifestyle changes. Getting an adequate amount of physical activity is one way to ensure your heart stays healthy and helps to maintain your quality of life as you age. However, what does an adequate amount of physical activity look like? Is it the same for adults and children? Take our quiz and test your knowledge on getting an adequate amount of physical activity and boost your heart health!
- Which of the following is the recommended number of minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or high-intensity aerobic physical activity the average adult should get a week to maintain heart health?
A. 30 minutes/40 minutes
B. 60 minutes/70 minutes
C. 100 minutes/110 minutes
D. 150 minutes/75 minutes - What does “aerobic” mean when it comes to exercise?
A. Exercise the requires special clothing
B. Exercise that requires equipment
C. Exercise that gets your heart rate up
D. None of the above - How many adults and teens in the U.S. get the recommended amount of physical activity every week needed for heart health?
A. One in five
B. One in four
C. One half
D. Two out of every three - How often should adults engage in a moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity such as using resistance bands or lifting weights?
A. Once a week
B. Twice a week
C. Three times a week
D. Once a month - True or False? Trying to spend less time sitting is better than doing nothing because even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of a sedentary lifestyle.
- Which of the following is NOT a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for adults and physical activities that improve heart health?
A. 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week
B. Sitting less
C. Two days of strength training
D. A brisk swim in cold weather
E. Increase the amount of time exercising and the intensity of the exercise over time - What is the minimum amount of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise that children age six to 17 should get every day?
A. 15 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 60 minutes
D. 90 minutes
Resources: Information provided by The American Heart Association
ANSWERS
- D. 150 minutes/75 minutes. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic physical activity a week to maintain heart health.
- C. Exercise that gets your heart rate up. Aerobic exercise is also labeled “cardio” because it benefits the heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness.
- A. One in five. Only 20 percent of adults and teens in the U.S. get the adequate amount of moderate- to high-intensity aerobic physical activity to promote heart health.
- B. Twice a week. Adults should do some sort of moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity, like weight-lifting, at least twice a week.
- True. Being sedentary and spending a large portion of the day sitting has been shown to be detrimental to overall health; spending less time sitting is a recommendation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for better heart health.
- C. A brisk swim in cold weather. All of the others are recommendations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- C. 60 minutes. It is recommended that children get at least an hour of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise every day for good heart health.