(Carrick Pharmacy News) Physical inactivity continues to be a public health problem across the United States.
In the latest round of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 25 percent of American adults were not physically active enough to protect their health.
When more physical activity could prevent countless premature deaths, inactivity starts to come into focus as a serious public health concern.
“Getting enough physical activity could prevent 1 in 10 premature deaths,” said Dr. Ruth Petersen, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, in a press release. “Too many people are missing out on the health benefits of physical activity such as improved sleep, reduced blood pressure and anxiety, lowered risk for heart disease, several cancers, and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease).”
US health officials recommend that adults get moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week.
Colorado appeared to have the most physically active adults, with only 17.7 percent reportedly not getting enough physical activity. Meanwhile, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Puerto Rico all had adult physical inactivity rates of more than 30 percent.
These numbers came from an ongoing phone interview and survey study led by the CDC and state departments of health. The reported numbers cover 2017 to 2020, and the CDC used them to create maps that showcased physical inactivity by region.
The South had to highest rates of adult physical inactivity. That was followed by the Midwest and the Northeast, while the West had the lowest levels of inactivity among adults.
The CDC said it was aiming to help 27 million Americans get more physical activity by 2027. The agency said it was working with communities and partners across the country to make that goal a reality.
Ask your health care provider before making any major changes to your exercise routine.
