Final answer:
The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for adults to improve health through regular exercise, highlighting myriad benefits. In my opinion, there's a strong need for increased awareness and public health initiatives to encourage more physical activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines emphasize the significance of exercise for maintaining and improving health. They recommend that adults should engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activities each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. The guidelines are clear that increased physical activity offers substantial health benefits, including the reduction of disease risk and improvement in cardiovascular and muscular fitness, bone density, cognitive function, and help with weight management.
In my opinion, considering the overwhelming evidence-based benefits, it is crucial that awareness about the importance of physical activity is increased. The statistic that 8 out of 10 Americans fail to meet the recommended levels of activity according to the American Heart Association is concerning. It highlights the need for more public health initiatives and education to promote physical exercise as a pivotal component of a healthy lifestyle.