There is a conflicting view that challenges the position many health associations take toward the amount of exercise needed for heart disease prevention.

The Institute of Medicine recently released a dietary report which recommends people include at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

The recommendation seems to underscore what the American College of Sports Medicine and the World Health Organization told the public for years. They have recommended 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, each day.

The ACSM released a report clarifying what was meant by the IOM report. It says the IOM released a dietary report suggesting that 60 minutes a day of physical activity along with a good diet can help even more than the original 30 minutes.

“You can see a significant improvement in your health going from being non-active to [doing] moderate levels of activity,” said Jennie Hartman of the NIU department of kinesiology and physical education. “People will find that they can lower their cholesterol, lower their resting heart rate and do the same amount of work with less effort if they [become more] active.”

People are encouraged to get out of the house and do anything they can to be more active, Hartman said. Although the obesity problem in the United States is a major problem, people are urged not to strain themselves right away. Starting out slowly and getting into a more active routine can be just as helpful.

The Student Recreation Center has seen a drop in the amount of people who are working out there.

“Typically as the weather gets nicer, we see less people in here; it also has to do with finals coming up soon,” said Anna Shearer, Wellness Office graduate assistant for the Rec.

The Wellness Center at the Rec encourages people to be more active by going outside and walking, jogging and playing with flying discs. There are intramural fields near Huskie Stadium where people can play with flying discs, football or softball.

“Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to class, park your car at the far end of the parking lot and walk the extra distance,” Hartman said. “These are just a few small things that people can do to increase their physical activity.”

The ACSM does not want to confuse people about the amount of time they need to be active per day, but said 30 minutes a day a few times a week can better your health and help start a healthy, active lifestyle.