Physical Inactivity

Physical Inactivity in United States

United States

Many adults spend a large portion of their time being sedentary (sitting for prolonged periods of time) despite the benefits of regular physical activity. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 8.3% of deaths of non-disabled adults ages 25 and older were attributed to physical inactivity. Being physically active and reducing sedentary behavior benefits health at all ages. Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes a week) is associated with reduced risk of:

• Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
• Hypertension.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Certain cancers, including bladder, breast and colon cancer.
• Dementia.
• Anxiety and depression.

Costs associated with physical inactivity account for more than 11% of total health care expenditures and are estimated at $117 billion annually.

The prevalence of physical inactivity is higher among:

• Women compared with men. 
• Adults ages 65 and older compared with adults younger than 65; the prevalence of physical inactivity is higher with each increase in age group.
• Hispanic, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native adults compared with Asian adults, who have the lowest prevalences. 
• Adults with less than a high school education, who have a prevalence 3 times higher than college graduates; the prevalence of physical inactivity is lower with each increase in education level.
• Adults with an annual household income less than $25,000, who have a prevalence nearly 3 times higher than those with an income of $75,000 or more; the prevalence of physical inactivity is lower with each increase in income level.
• Adults living in non-metropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas.

Reducing the amount of time spent sitting and increasing physical activity may decrease the health risks associated with physical inactivity. Physical activity guidelines specify that adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical activity is better than none. Physical activity guidelines for adults include:

• At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity) aerobic physical activity, such as running, riding a bike, dancing or swimming.
• Muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups two or more days a week.

The CDC makes several community-level recommendations to increase physical activity, including built environment approaches that make it easier and safer for people to walk, run, bike, skate or use wheelchairs to get to where they need to go. School and youth physical activity programs are also critical for promoting lifelong health and developing active habits early.

Healthy People 2030 has several physical activity objectives, including reducing the proportion of adults who do no physical activity in their free time and increasing the proportion of adults who do enough aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.

Carlson, Susan A., E. Kathleen Adams, Zhou Yang, and Janet E. Fulton. “Percentage of Deaths Associated With Inadequate Physical Activity in the United States.” Preventing Chronic Disease 15 (March 29, 2018): 170354. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.170354.

Carlson, Susan A., Janet E. Fulton, Michael Pratt, Zhou Yang, and E. Kathleen Adams. “Inadequate Physical Activity and Health Care Expenditures in the United States.” Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 2013 Global Congress on Physical Activity - All Hearts Need Exercise: A Global Call to Action by the AHA, 57, no. 4 (January 1, 2015): 315–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2014.08.002.

Gilchrist, Susan C., Virginia J. Howard, Tomi Akinyemiju, Suzanne E. Judd, Mary Cushman, Steven P. Hooker, and Keith M. Diaz. “Association of Sedentary Behavior With Cancer Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older US Adults.” JAMA Oncology 6, no. 8 (June 18, 2020): 1210–17. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.2045.

Katzmarzyk, Peter T., and I-Min Lee. “Sedentary Behaviour and Life Expectancy in the USA: A Cause-Deleted Life Table Analysis.” BMJ Open 2, no. 4 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000828.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf.

Yang, Lin, Chao Cao, Elizabeth D. Kantor, Long H. Nguyen, Xiaobin Zheng, Yikyung Park, Edward L. Giovannucci, Charles E. Matthews, Graham A. Colditz, and Yin Cao. “Trends in Sedentary Behavior Among the US Population, 2001-2016.” JAMA 321, no. 16 (April 23, 2019): 1587. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.3636.