Behaviors

Fewer than 3 in 10 older adults met federal physical activity guidelines.

Routine exercise has immediate benefits

for older adults, such as improving sleep quality, reducing anxiety and improving blood pressure.⁶³ Exercise also helps prevent chronic diseases like dementia, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and reduces premature death

overall.⁶⁴

• 2.7 times higher among those without a disability (34.6%) compared with those who have difficulty with self-care (12.7%).
• 2.5 times higher among college graduates (39.1%) than those with less than a high school education (15.6%).
• 2.2 times higher in Colorado (36.7%) than in Mississippi (16.9%).
• 1.9 times higher among those with an annual household income of $75,000 or more (37.4%) than those with incomes less than $25,000 (20.0%).
• 1.7 times higher among Asian (39.1%) than Hispanic (22.4%) older adults.
• 1.2 times higher among men (31.6%) than women (26.7%).
• 1.2 times higher among those living in metropolitan areas (29.8%) compared with those in nonmetropolitan areas (25.0%).