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Regular physical activity promotes health,
psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight. To
reduce the risk of chronic disease, the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, 2005 recommends engaging in at least 30 minutes
of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of
the week for adults. To prevent weight gain over time, the
Guidelines recommend about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous
physical activity on most days while not exceeding caloric
intake requirements.1
In 2005, only 50.9 percent of women reported
engaging in at least 10 minutes of moderate leisure-time
physical activity per week, and 32.0 percent reported at
least 10 minutes of vigorous activity. Among those reporting
any physical activity in the last week, men were more likely
to engage in at least 10 minutes of vigorous activity (41.8
percent) and, overall, participated in physical activity
for a greater average number of minutes than women. While
men reported an average of 235 minutes of moderate or vigorous
physical activity per week, women reported spending an average
of 194 and 179 minutes, respectively.
The percentage of women reporting at
least 10 minutes of physical activity in the past week varied
with age. Younger women were much more likely to participate
in both moderate and vigorous activity than older women.
For instance, more than 50 percent of women under the age
of 65 participated in at least 10 minutes of moderate physical
activity, compared to only 36 percent of women 75 years
and older. The difference is greater when comparing vigorous
physical activity: 40.1 percent of women 18–44 years versus
8.9 percent of women 75 years and older report at least
10 minutes of vigorous activity.
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Vertical Bar Chart: Average Minutes of Physical Activity per Week Among Adults Aged 18 and Older, by Sex
and Level, 2005
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Vertical Bar Chart: Women Aged 18 and Older Participating in Physical Activity, by Age and Level, 2005
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