exercise statistics

Wellness Wednesday: Exercise Statistics

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Most people who come into my office for an annual exam report that they live an active lifestyle. Of course this means different things to everyone, but it is an interesting starting point of discussion. 

Our impressions of our exercise patterns are rarely accurate unless we take the time to chart them. I am going to devote this post to a reality check for us collectively. Number lovers are in for a treat. 

Children: 

  • Only 1 in 3 children is physically active every day. 
  • Only 6 of the 50 states require PE in each grade. 
  • The CDC recommends children be physically active for one hour each day. 
  • One third of high school students plays video games for more than 3 hours per day. 
  • In 2013 only 27 % of all high school students had 1 hour of physical activity in each of the preceding 7 days. Fully 15% of high school students reported NO physical activity in any of the prior 7 days. 
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Adults: 

  • Less than 5 % of adults get 30 minutes of physical activity each day. 
  • Only 1 in 3 adults gets the recommended amount of physical activity in a week. 
  • The 4 states where adults have the highest incidence of exercising 3 or more times per week are: Vermont, Montana, Alaska and Hawaii. In these states about 60 % of adults meet this criteria. 

Appropriate physical exercise comprising both cardio and weight bearing exercise has numerous mental and physical benefits for children, adults, and seniors. Exercise these days has become more evidence based. We know more than ever about how to tailor it to a patient's specific health needs. Exercise certainly does not need to be onerous or miserable. Without exception, people who exercise regularly derive great satisfaction from it.

Check with your local health club or YWCA. Get some exercise DVDs for home use. Find my DVD recommendations in the RETAIL THERAPY section. Learn more in our section on FITNESS.