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. 

Latest resources

Latest resources

Council of Elders communique – 15 May 2023

An update from the Council of Elders after their meeting on 15 May 2023.

Evaluation of the Wound Management Pilot – Final Evaluation Report

To improve implementation of evidence-based, best practice wound care, the Australian Government invested $2 million from 2019-2021 for the Wounds Management Pilot, designing and testing models through Primary Health Networks. The Nous Group Evaluation reports on the outcomes of the pilot.

Quarterly financial snapshot of the Aged care sector – Quarter 2 2022-23 – October to December 2022

This snapshot provides information on the financial performance of the Australian aged care sector from October 2022 to December 2022. It includes analysis across residential care and home care.

Aged Care Taskforce – Terms of reference

Terms of reference for the Aged Care Taskforce. The Aged Care Taskforce (Taskforce) provides expert advice to Government through the Minister for Aged Care.