Every Movement Counts: Leap welcomes updated UK Physical Activity Guidelines

The refreshed guidance reflects the latest evidence on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, highlighting that some of the greatest health gains come when people move from inactivity to any level of activity. While the recommendation for adults to achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week remains unchanged, the updated guidelines place greater emphasis on making movement part of everyday life, reducing sedentary time, and maintaining strength and balance throughout adulthood.

The new guidance also highlights the importance of muscle-strengthening activities, recommending that adults undertake strength-based exercise at least twice a week. This is particularly important for healthy ageing and for people using GLP-1 medications for weight management, where maintaining muscle mass is essential.

As the Active Partnership for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, Leap works alongside local authorities, health partners, education providers, community organisations, sports clubs and physical activity providers to create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to be active in ways that fit their lives, interests and circumstances.

Building Activity into Everyday Life

Commenting on the updated guidance, David Munday, Buckinghamshire Director of Public Health, said:

“Seeing increased levels of physical activity in Buckinghamshire is central to our aspiration to build a healthier and happy county, as outlined in our 10 year local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Often the key to improving physical activity levels is to build it into day-to-day routines. In Buckinghamshire we have plenty of great places – outdoors and indoors – where we can be physically active and if we can make progress anywhere on increasing levels of physical activity it is in a county like ours.”

The updated guidelines recognise that physical activity does not have to take place in a gym or as part of formal exercise sessions to improve health. Everyday activities such as walking, cycling, wheeling, gardening, dancing, taking the stairs, active travel and participating in community sport all contribute towards a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Small Changes, Big Difference

Mark Ormerod, Chief Executive Officer at Leap, said:

“The updated Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines reinforce something we see every day in communities across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes: being active doesn’t have to mean running a marathon or spending hours in the gym. Small changes can make a big difference. Whether it’s walking to the shops, joining a local activity group, cycling to work, spending time in our parks and green spaces, or simply breaking up periods of sitting with movement, every step counts.

The strongest message from this update is that moving from doing nothing to doing something brings some of the biggest health benefits. Our role at Leap is to work with partners to make it easier for everyone, particularly those people who face the most barriers to being physically active, to find enjoyable and accessible ways to move more, helping people live healthier, happier and more independent lives.”

Creating Healthier Communities

Across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, Leap and its partners continue to support initiatives that encourage active lifestyles, tackle health inequalities and help residents incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.

The updated national guidance provides further evidence that creating active communities is one of the most effective ways to improve both physical and mental wellbeing and reduce the risk of long-term health conditions.

Find out more about the updated UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines here.