Too few Americans get the recommended amount of physical activity.
- Only one in four adults and one in five high school students fully meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
- About 31 million adults aged 50 years or older are inactive, meaning they get no physical activity beyond that of daily living.
Physical inactivity costs lives and dollars.
- Inactivity contributes to one in 10 premature deaths.
- Inadequate levels of physical activity are associated with $117 billion in annual healthcare costs.
Many Americans do not have safe or convenient places to be active.
- Less than half of the U.S. population lives within one-half mile of a park.
- Only 40% of school-aged youth who live a mile or less from school report that they usually walk to or from school.
Physically inactivity affects our national security and military readiness.
- Both obesity and low levels of physical fitness increase the risk of injury among active military personnel.
- Nearly one in four young adults are too heavy to serve in our military.
Benefits of physical activity
Among the many benefits of physical activity are:
- Lower risk of:
- Early death
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol or triglycerides
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Colon cancer
- Breast cancer
- Prevention of weight gain
- Weight loss, particularly when combined with reduced calorie intake
- Improved cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness and muscular strength
- Prevention of falls
- Reduced depression