Physical activity habit: Complexities and controversies

The health benefits of regular physical activity participation among adults support a reliable dose–response relationship with risk reduction of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, colon cancer, and breast cancer (Warburton, Charlesworth, Ivey, Nettlefold, & Bredin, 2010). Furthermore, regular physical activity has been linked to reduced mental health problems such as depression and anxiety symptoms (Rebar et al., 2015). The recommended dose of physical activity for optimal health benefits is 150 min of moderate intensity or 75 min of vigorous intensity activity for adults per week (World Health Organization, 2012). Unfortunately, few people meet these guidelines, particularly in higher income countries (Hallal et al., 2012). For example, less than 20% of North American adults are physically active at the recommended guidelines (Colley et al., 2011; Troiano et al., 2008). Thus, promotion of regular physical activity is paramount to public health and effective interventions are needed.