Study finds that the majority of Americans are not exercising enough
A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that only 28 percent of Americans are meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines, writes Forbes. The CDC recommends that adults 18 and over do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity per week.
Moderate exercise means any workout that increases heart rate and muscle strengthening entails working muscles harder than usual. The likelihood of a person meeting the activity goal also varies greatly based on demographics. Those living in the western U.S. are more likely to be hitting both goals, while those living in the South are least likely, ABC News reports.
People living in cities and metropolitan areas also have a higher percentage of adults meeting the requirements at 28 percent, while only 16 percent of adults outside of cities are meeting the goals, reports Forbes. While these numbers are low, the CDC notes that the data for the study was collected in 2020, when the pandemic likely prompted lower-than-average physical activity.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, "a national paradigm shift is needed," according to the authors of the study, especially since approximately half of American adults have at least one chronic illness that could be prevented by regular exercise, continues Forbes. For this reason, the CDC launched its Active People, Healthy Nation program to encourage Americans to become more active.
"This body of…evidence is important for understanding rural-urban disparities in physical activity and tracking the attainment of national objectives; however, it is only the first step," wrote the report authors.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Are 'judge shopping' rules a blow to Republicans?
Today's Big Question How the abortion pill case got to the Supreme Court
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Climate change is driving Indian women to choose sterilization
under the radar Faced with losing their jobs, they are making a life-altering decision
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'A great culture will be lost if the EV brigade gets its way'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The alarming rise of cancer in young people
Under the radar Cancer rates are rising, and the cause is not clear
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
How happy is Finland really?
Today's Big Question Nordic nation tops global happiness survey for seventh year in a row with 'focus on contentment over joy'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Narcan is becoming harder to find at drugstores across America
Under the Radar The drug, also known as naloxone, reverses the effects of an opioid overdose
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The lows of an unregulated high: Teens are using marijuana alternative delta-8
In the Spotlight More than 1 in 10 high school seniors have reported using the substance, which contains concentrated THC
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
OTC birth control arrives amid the battle over reproductive rights
Talking Points Opill will cost $19.99 a month. Democrats are pushing to make it cheaper.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Our microbiome is social like us
The Explainer Microbes can be friendly too
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What Florida is — and isn't — doing to curb the biggest measles outbreak in the US
Talking Points DeSantis appointee defies expert consensus to stop the spread
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published