The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released new data on how many adults are NOT physically active. Adults were asked: “During the past month, other than your regular job, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?” Those that responded “no” were considered to be physically inactive.
One quarter of adults indicated they had no physical activity the previous month. In Wisconsin, this was 22%. There were differences among racial and ethnic groups, with the lowest report of inactivity among American Indians (17%) and the highest among African Americans (35%). Racial and ethnic disparities in activity reflect a lack of safe spaces for physical activity such as parks, unsafe streets with high-speed traffic and no sidewalks, lack of time, and lack of social supports.
Being active helps people stay healthy. It not only reduces the risk of developing diseases (20 of them!), helps maintain weight – AND it can help our brains stay healthy! Read more about brain health here. You can also find recommendations for physical activity for different groups in the population here.
CDC knows it will take the involvement of everyone in communities to make it easier for everyone to move more. The CDC has the goal to help 27 million people become more physically active by 2027, you can read more about this initiative at Active People, Healthy Nation.