The Self-Care Forum’s research — the Living Self-Care Survey, conducted in collaboration with Imperial College London’s SCARU — found that respondents, including healthcare professionals, were uncertain about national public health recommendations, particularly those on exercise and alcohol.

This resource brings together guidance from several authoritative sources, including the UK’s NHS, the World Health Organization, and NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). It has also been informed by several evidence-based papers on exercise and exercise-related disease prevention.

We hope that this fact sheet will be used in surgeries, clinics, pharmacies, and other settings where health professionals and advisers, such as social prescribers and link workers, can use it during shared consultations with patients and service users. Its purpose is to help people understand exactly how much exercise — and what types of activities — are needed to keep us healthy. This is especially important as we age, when strength, balance, and flexibility become increasingly vital for maintaining independence for longer.