Quick answer. Singapore’s Health Promotion Board and the WHO give the same adult target: each week, at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity (or an equivalent mix), plus muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days a week. You should also cut down and break up sitting time. Regular activity lowers the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and several cancers, and helps weight, mood, sleep and bone health. Older adults should add balance and strength training; children and teens need about 60 minutes a day. Any amount helps – “some is better than none” – so start small and build up.
Physical activity is one of the highest-value things you can do for your health, and the target is more achievable than many people think – it works out to about 30 minutes of brisk activity on five days a week, which can be broken into shorter blocks.
The adult target
Do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity, or an equivalent combination. One minute of vigorous activity counts as about two minutes of moderate, and you can accumulate the total in blocks across the week. A simple intensity test: at moderate effort you can talk in short sentences but not sing; at vigorous effort you can only say a few words.
Add muscle strengthening
On top of aerobic activity, do muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups – for example about 8–10 exercises of 8–12 repetitions. This is an addition to the aerobic target, not a substitute. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands or carrying loads all count.
Sit less, move more
Singapore’s guidelines specifically target sitting: reduce and break up long sedentary periods through the day. Even if you exercise once a day, long unbroken stretches of sitting carry their own risk – so stand, stretch or walk regularly.
Why it matters
Meeting the guidelines reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and several cancers, and improves weight management, mental health, sleep, cognition and bone strength. In older adults it also lowers the risk of falls.
Older adults and children
Older adults should add activity that emphasises strength and balance on at least 3 days a week to maintain function and prevent falls. Children and adolescents (5–17) need an average of about 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, with muscle- and bone-strengthening on at least 3 days a week.
Practical ways to hit it in Singapore – and starting safely
Brisk walking, taking the stairs, active commuting and structured exercise all count. HPB’s National Steps Challenge (via the Healthy 365 app) rewards daily steps, and ActiveSG facilities support both aerobic and strength work. Build up gradually – “some is better than none.” If you are older, pregnant, have a chronic condition or are otherwise higher-risk, check with a doctor before starting vigorous exercise, and stop and seek advice for chest pain, unusual breathlessness or dizziness.
Related healthy-living guides
- Sleep hygiene: how to sleep better
- Healthy eating: a balanced diet
- Staying hydrated
- How to quit smoking
- Alcohol and your health
- Managing stress
- How to lower your blood pressure
- How to lower your cholesterol
- Healthy weight & BMI
- Preventing type 2 diabetes
- Health screening packages
Sources
- Health Promotion Board (HPB), Singapore — Singapore Physical Activity Guidelines (150–300 min moderate / 75–150 vigorous; muscle-strengthening ≥2 days; older-adult balance ≥3 days; reduce sedentary time).
- HealthHub — how much exercise is enough (weekly minutes; strength 2×/week; talk-not-sing intensity test; National Steps Challenge).
- World Health Organization — 2020 physical activity guidelines and fact sheet (adult, older-adult and 5–17 figures; health benefits).