We appreciate you taking the time to help America’s Health Rankings better understand our audiences. Your feedback will allow us to optimize our website and provide you with additional resources in the future. Thank you.
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.
United States Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older 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
Percentage of adults without a disability age 65 and older 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
43.8% - 37.8%
37.7% - 35.5%
35.4% - 33.2%
33.1% - 29.7%
29.6% - 21.2%
No Data
US Value: 29.0 %
Top State(s): Colorado: 36.7 %
Bottom State(s): Mississippi: 16.9 %
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older 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): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2023
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Regular exercise is an important aspect of healthy living. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults age 65 and older who are generally fit and have no limiting health conditions get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity every week.
Routine exercise has been shown to have immediate benefits for older adults, such as improving sleep quality, reducing anxiety and improving blood pressure. It also helps prevent chronic diseases like dementia, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and reduces premature death overall.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of exercise is higher among:
Even moderate increases in physical activity can reduce the risk of mortality in older adults and prevent or delay the onset of many chronic diseases. Effective interventions among older adults include:
The CDC also offers further information on how adults can add physical activity to their lives.
Healthy People 2030 has several objectives pertaining to physical activity, including:
Barnett, David W., Anthony Barnett, Andrea Nathan, Jelle Van Cauwenberg, and Ester Cerin. “Built Environmental Correlates of Older Adults’ Total Physical Activity and Walking: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 14, no. 1 (August 7, 2017): 103. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0558-z.
Chase, Jo-Ana D. “Physical Activity Interventions among Older Adults: A Literature Review.” Research and Theory for Nursing Practice 27, no. 1 (2013): 53–80. https://doi.org/10.1891/1541-6577.27.1.53.
Hupin, David, Frédéric Roche, Vincent Gremeaux, Jean-Claude Chatard, Mathieu Oriol, Jean-Michel Gaspoz, Jean-Claude Barthélémy, and Pascal Edouard. “Even a Low-Dose of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Reduces Mortality by 22% in Adults Aged ≥60 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” British Journal of Sports Medicine 49, no. 19 (October 1, 2015): 1262–67. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-094306.
Webber, Bryant J., Katrina L. Piercy, Eric T. Hyde, and Geoffrey P. Whitfield. “Association of Muscle-Strengthening and Aerobic Physical Activity With Mortality in US Adults Aged 65 Years or Older.” JAMA Network Open 5, no. 10 (October 17, 2022): e2236778. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.36778.
Zhao, Min, Sreenivas P. Veeranki, Costan G. Magnussen, and Bo Xi. “Recommended Physical Activity and All Cause and Cause Specific Mortality in US Adults: Prospective Cohort Study.” BMJ 370 (July 1, 2020): m2031. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2031.
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.
