Summer is almost gone again and with beautiful fall weather on the horizon, the opportunities for getting outdoors and engaging in physical activity abound! It’s well known that consistent physical exercise can improve general health in people of all ages, as well as inhibit its deterioration, but just how much physical activity is required of each of us, according to our age and gender, and how many Americans are actually reaching that minimum requirement? A recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has some insight.
The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 2.5 to 5 hours weekly of moderate aerobic activity or about 1-3 hours a week of vigorous aerobics, along with moderate or greater muscle strengthening activities on all major muscle groups twice a week.
Using data collected in the 2020 National Health Interview Survey, the report found:
- In 2020, 24.2% of adults aged 18 and over met the guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
- The percentage of adults who met both physical activity guidelines was higher among men (28.3%) than women (20.4%) and decreased with age for both men and women.
- The percentage of men who met both physical activity guidelines decreased with age, from 41.3% of those aged 18–34, to 29.4% of those aged 35–49, to 21.6% of those aged 50–64, and 15.3% of those aged 65 and over.
I mentioned at the beginning of this newsletter that the fall season plays one part in nature’s cycle of loss, regeneration, and regrowth. So, as we all begin to cool off, what better time is there than now to participate in that natural cycle? I am motivated by the change in our environment to separate the wheat from the chaff and regenerate that innate vigor of the body that only maintenance of our physical health can provide. Time does not have to whither us so quickly if only we could strive to enjoy the struggle against it. I believe the findings of this report can inspire us to seize the splendor of fall and take stock of our bodies. Once winter is here to stay, our bodies will thank us for the investment.
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 9-6-22
