Sir Chris Whitty has warned working from home means more Brits are sitting all day and not getting enough physical activity.

England’s Chief Medical Officer unveiled the UK’s new official guidance on the amount and type of exercise we should be doing at a media briefing in central London. The update includes new evidence showing the potentially lifesaving impact of doing a small amount of physical activity for people currently inactive.

Sir Chris said he cycles to work and goes kayaking in his spare time, as he called on the nation to “find things you enjoy” as well as building movement into our weekly routine. He said societal changes since 2019, such as WFH and online shopping, have made

Sir Chris said: “I do think it’s important people think through, for example, hybrid working. It means quite a lot of people could very easily do very little, other than be at their home. Whereas previously people would be routinely going to work and that often meant at least some physical activity.

“Online shopping is another example where people can actually stay put, who previously would have gone out and actually gone to the shops… Carrying your weekly shop home is actually a resistance activity.”

Compiled by the Chief Medical Officers of all the UK nations, it is the first time the national guidelines have been updated in seven years since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The update stresses the importance of breaking up prolonged periods of sitting, and including exercises for strength – particularly for people on weight loss drugs – and balance.

Sir Chris said people should exercise from their 40s for the body they want in their 70s – to delay “the period when you go into frailty”. He added: “Once you get to about 50 your muscle mass is decreasing.

“If you actually manage to get a good muscle mass – and keep it through late middle age – you will be in much better shape in old age with mobility, than if you allow it to essentially wither away.”

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