Page-by-Page Notes: Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour
Chapter 7.6
Focus: understanding how physical activity and sedentary behaviour relate to health, including trends, benefits, risks, guidelines, and ways to assess them.
Key topics and structure
Physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
Health benefits of physical activity.
Sociocultural influences on physical activity.
Prevalence and trends of physical activity, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour.
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines.
Subjective and objective methods of assessing physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
What is Physical inactivity?
Physical inactivity refers to lack of involvement in physical activity during an individual's leisure time.
What is sedentary behaviour?
Sedentary behaviour is behaviour associated with sitting or lying down, including activities such as watching television, working or playing on the computer, driving or sitting in a car, bus or train. It also includes homework, studying or reading.
MET of 1–2.
Individual write (class activity/notes)
What are METs?
METs (metabolic equivalents) are commonly used to express the intensity of physical activities.
Your MET level would be 1 if you were generally sedentary (e.g. lying down, reading or sitting and talking).
Participation in an activity of moderate intensity would result in a MET level of 3–6.
Individual write (notebook activity)
Notes on METs from the transcript:
Sedentary activities ≈ MET = 1.
Moderate-intensity activities ≈ MET ext{ between } 3 ext{ and } 6, inclusive (3
\rightarrow 6).
Relationship between physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour
There is a relationship between physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour.
Generally, the greater the sedentary behaviour the higher the levels of physical inactivity and vice versa.
Turn & Talk (discussion prompt).
Chronic health conditions linked to inactivity
Prompt: Name one chronic health condition that could be a consequence of limited physical activity.
Topic: Risks of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour (Whiteboard activity).
Purpose: Connect inactivity to health risks and build recall of possible conditions.
Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People (5 to 17 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep.
Guideline authorities: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Focus: Healthy growth and development, age-specific guidelines, and the integration of activity, sedentary time, and sleep.
What these guidelines outline
How much physical activity an individual should do each day.
Strategies to incorporate increased physical activity into everyday routines.
The importance of reducing and breaking up sedentary time.
How much sedentary screen time is recommended.
How much sleep children and young people should get.
How children and young people can get good quality sleep.
Title: Australian Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines.
Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (repeated)
5-17 year olds guidelines reiterated for emphasis.
Core idea: an integrated approach across activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep.
5-17 Years: A healthy 24 hours includes - Physical Activity
Minimum: at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity that increases heart rate.
Examples: bike riding, swimming, dancing, sport (structured/unstructured).
Muscle and bone strengthening: at least 3 days per week; examples: running, climbing, monkey bars, push ups, sit ups, yoga, lifting weights.
Individual write.
5-17 Years: A healthy 24 hours includes - Sedentary Behaviour
No more than 2 hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day (excluding schoolwork).
Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.
When using screen-based media, positive social interactions and experiences are encouraged.
Individual write.
5-17 Years: A healthy 24 hours includes - Sleep
For ages 5{-}13: 9 ext{ to } 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
For ages 14{-}17: 8 ext{ to } 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
Sleep hygiene:
Have consistent bed and wake-up times.
Avoid screen time 1 ext{ hour} before sleep.
Keep screens out of bedrooms.
Adults 18-64 and the guidelines scope
More than half of all Australian adults are not active enough (contextual stat).
Campaign messaging: Make your move - Sit less; Be active for life!
Visual reference: Australia’s guidelines for activity and sedentary behaviour.
Adults 18-64 Years – Physical activity guidelines
Adults should be active on most days, preferably every day.
Weekly options:
2.5 ext{ to } 5 ext{ hours} of moderate intensity physical activity (e.g., brisk walk, golf, mowing, swimming).
1.25 ext{ to } 2.5 ext{ hours} of vigorous intensity physical activity (e.g., jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer, netball, basketball).
An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity.
Muscle strengthening on at least 2 days per week (e.g., push ups, sit ups, squats, lifting weights).
Advice: those not currently active should start small and gradually build up.
Individual write.
Adults 18-64 Years – Sedentary behaviour guidelines
Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting.
Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.
Individual write.
Activity minutes at work (case question)
The table shows minutes of physical activity undertaken by three adults at work in one week:
William: Mon 110, Tue 30, Wed 20, Thu 120, Fri 50, Sat 70, Sun 240
Jane: Mon 62, Tue 60, Wed 65, Thu 70, Fri 120, Sat 90, Sun 65
Kelly: Mon 150, Tue 20, Wed 35, Thu 75, Fri 70, Sat 30, Sun 120
Question: Does William meet the national physical activity guidelines based on these numbers? Explain. Which of the three meet the guidelines? Explain.
Note: These minutes are at work; intensity (moderate vs vigorous) is not specified in the table, which affects guideline eligibility.
Summary of Key Concepts (Cross-page)
Physical inactivity vs. sedentary behaviour: inactivity is lack of activity during leisure time; sedentary behaviour involves sitting/lying with low energy expenditure (METs ~1–2).
METs: used to express intensity; sedentary ≈ MET = 1; moderate intensity ≈ 3
\rightarrow 6; expressed as 3 ext{ to } 6.Relationship: more sedentary time generally relates to higher inactivity, and vice versa.
Case studies / prompts are used to apply concepts to real-life contexts (office worker example; ability to be both active and sedentary).
Guidelines emphasize an integrated approach across activity, sedentary time, and sleep (24-hour movement guidelines).
Age-specific guidelines:
5–17 years: at least 60 minutes/day of moderate-vigorous activity; muscle/bone strengthening at least 3 days/week; no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time; sleep 9 ext{–}11 hours (5–13) or 8 ext{–}10 hours (14–17); sleep hygiene practices.
18–64 years: weekly targets for moderate and/or vigorous activity with a combination option; muscle strengthening at least 2 days/week; minimize prolonged sitting.
FITT framework (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) referenced as a tool for applying guidelines.
Key Equations / Numerical References (LaTeX)
Sedentary MET value: MET ext{ for sedentary} = 1
Moderate intensity MET range: 3 \, \le \, MET \, \le \, 6
5–17-year daily physical activity: 60\, \text{minutes/day} of moderate-to-vigorous activity
Muscle-strengthening: at least 3\, \text{days/week} (5–17)
Screen time limit (5–17): \le 2\, \text{hours/day} of recreational screen time
Sleep (5–13): 9\text{–}11\, \text{hours/night}; Sleep (14–17): 8\text{–}10\, \text{hours/night}
Sleep hygiene: avoid screen time 1\, \text{hour} before sleep; keep screens out of bedrooms
Adults (18–64): moderate activity per week 2.5\text{ to }5\, \text{hours}; vigorous activity per week 1.25\text{ to }2.5\, \text{hours}; or an equivalent combination; muscle strengthening at least 2\, \text{days/week}
No explicit conversion factor for minutes to hours in the transcript beyond the weekly minutes in the case study; keep in mind the intensity unknown in the minutes table.