Healthy working lives
Physical activity
Physical activity is essential for good health (Department for Health 2004). Most public health organisations recommend that at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days a week are spent participating in moderately intense activities.
In doing more physical activity, we will develop the health-related areas of our fitness, particularly cardiovascular fitness (our heart, lungs and circulatory systems).
Improving physical fitness helps prevent, and manage, over 20 conditions and diseases including cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It is also recommended that individuals participate in resistance training exercises at least twice a week; this can help reduce the onset of various degenerative conditions.
Exercise is not only good for physical health, but also mental wellbeing. Physical activity has an effect on the chemicals in our brain which have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve our general mood and reduce the risk of depression.
Useful websites
The Scottish Government funds the Centre for Healthy Working Lives which runs a number of programmes and provides a wide range of information and resources for people living in Scotland. Learn about healthy eating, health advice for travelling, support for stopping smoking and much more, visit the Healthy Working Lives website.
The NHS Choices website also has useful lifestyle information.
There are national resources providing information about cycling and walking routes near you. Fife and Dundee councils have information about local sports facilities.
