Physical activity and exercise

Physical activity is important at any age for good physical and mental health and wellbeing. Find out how active you should be, how to add activity into your daily life, and what we’re doing to help everyone become more active.

About physical activity

Read about what we mean by physical activity and why everyone should be active every day.

What we’re doing

Find out how we developed the guidelines and what we’re doing to encourage people to be active.

Physical activity for everyone

See what you can do to be active every day, whatever your age or circumstances.

Physical activity guidelines

Download or order publications, including the guidelines and tips on building activity in your day.

Pregnancy guidelines – brochure

These guidelines provide information and advice for pregnant women about how much physical activity they should do each day, and about minimising sedentary behaviour.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines – pregnancy

Find your activity guidelines

For infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Help your young child grow healthy, and set good habits for life.

For children and young people

Find ideas on helping children and young people be active.

For adults

Find out what you can do to be active every day, for a healthy body and mind.

For pregnancy

See how active you should be during and after your pregnancy.

For older Australians

Learn how to build activity into your daily life to stay healthy.

Did you know?

1 in 2

adults don't meet the physical activity guidelines

2 in 3

children don't meet the physical activity guidelines

2%

of young people aged 13 to 17 meet the physical activity and sedentary screen-based behaviour guidelines

Sources: AIHW and ABS. 

Resources

Resources

Schedule B – Operational plan template

This template has been developed to assist sites that are part of the COAG Section 19(2) Exemptions Initiative memorandum of understanding 2022–25 to complete an operational plan.

List of declared hospitals

The Minister for Health and Aged Care must declare a facility to be a hospital under section 121–5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. View the current list of declared hospitals.