A new survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that more than 15 percent of American adults are physically inactive across all states and territories.
The CDC revealed new estimates of physical inactivity across the United States. Officials look at the data from 2015 to 2018 through an ongoing telephone survey.
The agency defined physical inactivity as not participating in any leisure-time physical activities over the last month. Physical activities include running, walking for exercise, or gardening.
The CDC officials estimated that physical inactivity ranged from 17.3 percent in Colorado to 47.7 percent in Puerto Rico.
The rates of physical inactivity were more than 30 percent in seven states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee) and two territories (Puerto Rico and Guam).
They found that the southern states had the highest rate of physical inactivity, approximately 28 percent.
The survey also looked at racial and ethnic differences in physical activity levels. The rate of physical inactivity in Hispanics was 31.7 percent, while in blacks and whites, it was 30.3 percent and 23.4 percent, respectively.
The CDC said, “Inactivity contributes to one in 10 premature deaths in the United States and is associated with $117 billion in annual health care costs.”
The officials are teaming up with communities and partners across the nation as part of the Active People, Healthy Nation initiative, to make it safer, easier, and convenient for people to be physically active where they live, learn, work and play.
The goal is to help more than 27 million American adults become more physically active by 2027 and improve their overall health and quality of life, and more importantly, to reduce healthcare costs.
According to the American Physical Activity Guidelines, it is recommended that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity every week. One can perform physical activities for at least 25 minutes a day or 30 minutes for five days a week.
People are encouraged to build their physical activity gradually by starting with brisk walking, jogging, and running. The key is to sit less and move more.
