Fat America: Small Number Of Californians Exercise Enough

Just 22.9 percent of American adults are getting enough exercise, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of the adults that met these federal guidelines did so through physical activity performed during leisure time as opposed to physical activity performed at work.

The report looked at what percentage of American adults met the 2008 recommended federal guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity between 2010 and 2015. The report noted that leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity may not have comparable health benefits. According to the CDC, previous research shows that occupational physical activity can have less-than-positive effects.

In California, adults got more exercise than the average American adult, the report found. According to the CDC, 24 percent of adults in California got the recommended amount of exercise between 2010 and 2015. In general, states in the West and the Rocky Mountain region were more likely to be above the national average while states in the Southeast landed in the below-average category.

Men exercised more than women, the report found. Overall, 27.2 percent of adult men got enough exercise while 18.7 percent of adult women met the recommended amount. Both Californian men and women exercised more than the national average for this demographic. According to the CDC, 28.5 percent of Californian men and 19.3 percent of Californian women got the recommended amount of exercise between 2010 and 2015.

22 CA Homes For Sale Under 1,000 Square Feet

California was one of 14 states that had a significantly higher percentage of adults who met the federal guidelines. The percentage of working Californian men and women getting enough exercise was also above the national average for both sexes.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate physical activity every week or 75 minutes (1.5 hours) of vigorous physical activity in addition to muscle strengthening activities two or more days per week. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

By Feroze Dhanoa, Patch National Staff

Photo via Shutterstock