Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
Virginia Value:
Percentage of adults who met the federal physical activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening per week) in the past 30 days
Virginia Rank:
Additional Measures:
Explore Population Data:
Appears In:
Percentage of adults who met the federal physical activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening per week) in the past 30 days
US Value: 23.0%
Top State(s): Vermont: 28.5%
Bottom State(s): Kentucky: 15.3%
Definition: Percentage of adults who met the federal physical activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening per week) in the past 30 days
Data Source and Years(s): CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2019
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Being physically active and reducing sedentary behavior has many health benefits. Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes a week) is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, stroke and hypertension; Type 2 diabetes; certain cancers including bladder, breast and colon cancer; dementia; anxiety and depression; and mortality from influenza and pneumonia.
Key physical activity guidelines for adults include:
Getting more exercise is associated with lower health care expenditures. A 2015 study found that physically active adults spend, on average, $920 less on health care expenses per year than their inactive counterparts.
According to America’s Health Rankings data, the prevalence of exercise (sufficient to meet aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines) is higher among:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has several recommendations for community efforts to increase physical activity, including built environment approaches to make it easier for people to walk, run, bike, skate or use wheelchairs to get to where they need to go.
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps lists several scientifically supported exercise policies and programs aimed at creating opportunities for active living, including:
Further, a study found increased benefit when implementing infrastructure interventions (such as parks, trails and greenways) in tandem with additional interventions such as community engagement, awareness campaigns, structured classes or improved access. Based on these findings, the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends this combined-intervention approach to increase physical activity and park/trail/greenway use within communities.
Healthy People 2030 has several objectives that focus on increasing the proportion of adults who do enough physical activity.
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 57, no. 4 (January 2015): 315–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2014.08.002.
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.
Valero-Elizondo, Javier, Joseph A. Salami, Chukwuemeka U. Osondu, Oluseye Ogunmoroti, Alejandro Arrieta, Erica S. Spatz, Adnan Younus, et al. “Economic Impact of Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity Among Those With and Without Established Cardiovascular Disease: 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.” Journal of the American Heart Association 5, no. 9 (August 29, 2016). https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.116.003614.
Webber, Bryant J., Heather C. Yun, and Geoffrey P. Whitfield. “Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Mortality from Influenza and Pneumonia: A Cohort Study of 577 909 US Adults.” British Journal of Sports Medicine 57, no. 19 (May 16, 2023): 1231–37. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106644.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.