More than half of Australian adults are either completely inactive or do not meet Australia's physical activity guidelines. The guidelines recommend at least 2.5 hours of moderate activity such as walking each week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise such as running each week.
But even if you do meet that recommendation, chances are you're still sitting for many hours of the day. About half of all Australian workers have jobs that involve sitting, whether that's at a desk, in a car or operating machinery. And then there's all that time we spend on our bums travelling and watching TV or playing with our smartphones.
The bad news is, mounting research links prolonged sitting or lying down during the day with being overweight, and getting a range of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia and cancers of the bowel, breast and uterus. It also increases your risk of depression and anxiety, and of an early death.
The good news is, there are plenty of ways to break up your sitting time and you'll probably feel better for it. Experts recommend standing and moving every 30 minutes to increase blood flow through your body which improves mental alertness and reduces muscle tension.
Arrange to catch up with family and friends while doing something active such as a walk, a bike ride, or a yoga class.
How do you keep active? Join the conversation on The Village.