Most adults in the USA aren't meeting the federal physical activity recommendations for both aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activity, according to CDC statistics.
About 79% of adults don't meet the physical activity guidelines that advise getting at least 2½ hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as brisk walking, or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging. Plus, the guidelines recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, sit-ups or exercise using resistance bands or weights. These activities should involve all major muscle groups and be done on two or more days a week, the guidelines say.
Among the findings:
- 21% of adults say they met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines.
- About 52% say they are meeting the aerobic activity guideline.
- 29% say they are meeting the muscle-strengthening activity recommendation.
- The range of people meeting the overall guidelines varied by state. For instance, 27% of those in Colorado met them compared with 13% in Tennessee and West Virginia.
- Women, Hispanics, older adults and obese adults were all less likely to meet the exercise guidelines.
Read more from USA Today.