75% of American adults are failing at exercise: CDC report

Only one-quarter of American adults are achieving the minimum amount of exercise suggested for a healthy life, according to new statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data collected in 2020 and published by the National Center for Health Statistics on Tuesday shows only 24.2% of adults aged 18 and over met the recommended amount of both aerobic and muscle strengthening activities, for a combined average of 150 minutes per week.

The remaining three-quarters of the population otherwise fell short — some by not engaging at all. More than one in five (22.7%) met only the suggested guidelines for aerobic activity, while a few (6.8%) focused mostly on strengthening muscle.

That leaves a staggering 46.3% — nearly half of US adults — who failed to meet the minimum in either category.

Research shows health benefits kick in with at least 150 minutes a week of moderately intense aerobic activity, and that both aerobic and muscle strengthening activities are beneficial to a healthy lifestyle, according to health officials.

The CDC has previously reported that 73.6% of American adults aged 20 and up are overweight, and 41.9% are classified as obese.

Based on a series of survey questions, investigators found men more often met physical activity guidelines (28.3%) compared to women (20.4%) — although the amount of exercise decreased with age for both genders.

Over 40% of men aged 18 to 34 met the exercise guidelines, but the habit sharply dropped to 21.6% between ages 50 and 65. The decline was less dramatic for women — 28.7% hit those goals in young adulthood, but that number dropped to 17.6% by the time they reached middle age.

The CDC also identified a divide along racial and ethnic lines. White men and women were more likely to achieve exercise goals compared to other groups — particularly non-Hispanic white women, who had the greatest odds of meeting all the marks. Meanwhile, Hispanic men were least likely to meet both aerobic and strength guidelines.

Predictably, higher income earners, specifically adults with family income at 200% or more over the federal poverty level (FPL), were the most likely to meet all guidelines.

The report noted that their estimates do not account for current health status or various conditions that may limit their ability to be active, such as those who are pregnant or suffer from chronic illness.