|
Health Status > Health Behaviors
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity promotes health, psychological
well-being, and a healthy body weight. To reduce the risk of chronic
disease, the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend
at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most
days of the week for adults. To prevent weight gain over time, the
Guidelines recommend about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
activity on most days while not exceeding calorie intake requirements.1
In 2004, 51.7 percent of women reported engaging
in at least 10 minutes of moderate leisure-time physical activity
per week, and 31.8 percent reported a similar amount of vigorous
activity. Men participated in physical activity for a greater average
number of minutes than women: among those who reported physical
activity in the last week, women averaged 187 minutes of moderate
activity compared to 221 minutes among men. Women averaged 174 minutes
of vigorous activity compared to 231 minutes among men.
Among adults who participated in physical activity,
some of the most popular activities included walking, dancing, and
bicycling. Women were more likely than men to report walking (37.6
versus 22.3 percent) and dancing (12.7 versus 7.7 percent), while
men were more likely to report bicycling (8.7 versus 10.6 percent)
and golf (3.1 versus 11.2 percent).
>
VERTICAL BAR CHART: Average Minutes of Physical Activity
per Week Among Adults Aged 18 Years and Older, by Sex and Level,
2004
>
Vertical BAR CHART: Selected Types of Physical Activity
Reported Among Adults Aged 18 Years and Older, by Sex, 1999-2002
1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2005. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005.
|
