Physical activity
(Redirected from Exercised)
Physical activity encompasses any form of movement produced by the skeletal muscles that leads to energy expenditure[1]. This activity, ranging from leisurely activities like walking and yoga, to more vigorous tasks like running or heavy lifting, is a critical component of maintaining good health and well-being.
Benefits of Physical Activity[edit | edit source]
Physical activity has numerous health benefits, with both immediate and long-term positive effects on the body. It contributes to the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, by reducing risk factors like high blood pressure and blood glucose levels[2].
In addition to physiological benefits, engaging in regular physical activity can improve mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhancing cognitive function, and improving overall quality of life[3].
Types of Physical Activity[edit | edit source]
Physical activity can be categorized into four main types: aerobic exercise, strength-building activities, balance exercises, and flexibility exercises. Each type of activity has distinct benefits, and a balanced exercise regimen will typically include elements from all four categories.
Physical Activity Recommendations[edit | edit source]
Physical activity guidelines vary by age, but in general, adults are encouraged to participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week[4].
Barriers and Solutions[edit | edit source]
Barriers to regular physical activity often include lack of time, poor access to safe places to exercise, and lack of motivation. Solutions involve incorporating physical activity into daily routines, creating safe public spaces for physical activity, and promoting the benefits of exercise within communities[5].
Physical activity statistics in the United States[edit | edit source]
According to the BRFSS survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control in 2012 in the United States with the question: During the past month, did you participate in any physical activity?
State: | Yes | No |
Nationwide (States, DC, and Territories) | 76.9 | 23.1 |
Nationwide (States and DC) | 77.1 | 22.9 |
Alabama | 72.8 | 27.2 |
Alaska | 81.5 | 18.5 |
Arizona | 77.4 | 22.6 |
Arkansas | 68.5 | 31.5 |
California | 80.8 | 19.2 |
Colorado | 83.0 | 17.0 |
Connecticut | 77.9 | 22.1 |
Delaware | 76.5 | 23.5 |
District of Columbia | 82.6 | 17.4 |
Florida | 76.7 | 23.3 |
Georgia | 76.4 | 23.6 |
Guam | 72.4 | 27.6 |
Hawaii | 81.3 | 18.7 |
Idaho | 79.7 | 20.3 |
Illinois | 78.2 | 21.8 |
Indiana | 74.1 | 25.9 |
Iowa | 76.9 | 23.1 |
Kansas | 77.1 | 22.9 |
Kentucky | 70.3 | 29.7 |
Louisiana | 70.1 | 29.9 |
Maine | 79.1 | 20.9 |
Maryland | 76.9 | 23.1 |
Massachusetts | 80.2 | 19.8 |
Michigan | 76.7 | 23.3 |
Minnesota | 82.5 | 17.6 |
Mississippi | 69.2 | 30.8 |
Missouri | 75.3 | 24.7 |
Montana | 79.5 | 20.5 |
Nebraska | 79.0 | 21.0 |
Nevada | 78.7 | 21.3 |
New Hampshire | 80.0 | 20.0 |
New Jersey | 75.1 | 24.9 |
New Mexico | 78.2 | 21.8 |
New York | 75.3 | 24.7 |
North Carolina | 75.1 | 24.9 |
North Dakota | 76.2 | 23.8 |
Ohio | 74.7 | 25.3 |
Oklahoma | 71.7 | 28.3 |
Oregon | 83.7 | 16.3 |
Pennsylvania | 76.5 | 23.5 |
Puerto Rico | 57.6 | 42.5 |
Rhode Island | 76.5 | 23.6 |
South Carolina | 74.9 | 25.1 |
South Dakota | 77.5 | 22.5 |
Tennessee | 71.4 | 28.6 |
Texas | 72.8 | 27.2 |
Utah | 83.5 | 16.6 |
Vermont | 82.8 | 17.2 |
Virginia | 77.5 | 22.5 |
Washington | 81.0 | 19.0 |
West Virginia | 69.0 | 31.0 |
Wisconsin | 79.7 | 20.4 |
Wyoming | 78.9 | 21.1 |
Percentage of adults in USA participating in the recommended 150 minutes of aerobic physical activity per week by race in 2011.
Region/State | % Total All Races | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Other |
US | 51.6 | 54 | 46.4 | 44.3 | 47.7 |
Alabama | 42.4 | 43.1 | 40.6 | 37.9 | 44.6 |
Alaska | 57.9 | 62 | N/A | 46.5 | 48.5 |
Arizona | 52.3 | 56.5 | 55.2 | 42.7 | 51.1 |
Arkansas | 45.7 | 45.5 | 48.8 | 41.9 | 47.7 |
California | 58.2 | 65.3 | 56.4 | 50 | 54.2 |
Colorado | 61.8 | 64.8 | 56 | 52.5 | 56.5 |
Connecticut | 52.6 | 56 | 46.6 | 36.6 | 43.7 |
Delaware | 48.5 | 49.7 | 46.4 | 51.1 | 32.2 |
District of Columbia | 57.6 | 70.3 | 48.8 | 45.7 | 60.9 |
Florida | 52.8 | 57.5 | 43.2 | 45.8 | 53.4 |
Georgia | 50.7 | 53.4 | 48.3 | 36.7 | 50 |
Hawaii | 58.5 | 66.1 | N/A | 56 | 52.7 |
Idaho | 57.2 | 57.9 | N/A | 48.4 | 53.8 |
Illinois | 51.7 | 53.8 | 49.1 | 45.9 | 43.3 |
Indiana | 46 | 46.4 | 43.9 | 39.6 | 49.7 |
Iowa | 47.6 | 48 | 54.5 | 37.7 | 43.7 |
Kansas | 46.8 | 48.1 | 39.1 | 37.4 | 47.4 |
Kentucky | 46.8 | 47.4 | 38.8 | 52.1 | 44.6 |
Louisiana | 42 | 43.6 | 39.8 | 36.8 | 30.4 |
Maine | 56.7 | 56.9 | 47.1 | 57.3 | 55.5 |
Maryland | 48.7 | 50.9 | 44.7 | 47.1 | 44.1 |
Massachusetts | 56.3 | 58.4 | 54.4 | 44.1 | 47.3 |
Michigan | 53.5 | 55.4 | 44.3 | 44.1 | 53.4 |
Minnesota | 54 | 55.4 | 43.4 | 40.3 | 47.6 |
Mississippi | 40 | 42.5 | 35 | 33.4 | 41.6 |
Missouri | 49.5 | 50.8 | 43.5 | 39.5 | 45.4 |
Montana | 55.3 | 55.3 | N/A | 49 | 52.8 |
Nebraska | 49 | 50.6 | 36.5 | 38.1 | 43.1 |
Nevada | 52.6 | 56.6 | 48.2 | 45.6 | 47.6 |
New Hampshire | 56.1 | 56.7 | N/A | 42.9 | 46.7 |
New Jersey | 53.3 | 56.9 | 50.8 | 43.7 | 47.9 |
New Mexico | 52.2 | 55.5 | 60.4 | 47.3 | 55.5 |
New York | 51.5 | 54.5 | 46.4 | 47.3 | 45.4 |
North Carolina | 46.8 | 49.6 | 38.9 | 41.5 | 44.3 |
North Dakota | 47.3 | 47.4 | N/A | 48.6 | 49.4 |
Ohio | 51.6 | 52.4 | 47.5 | 45 | 47.7 |
Oklahoma | 44.8 | 45.7 | 46.5 | 37.3 | 41.5 |
Oregon | 61.1 | 62.6 | N/A | 52.2 | 56 |
Pennsylvania | 49.4 | 49.9 | 47.6 | 44.6 | 52.9 |
Rhode Island | 48.7 | 51.1 | 41.5 | 34.7 | 44.9 |
South Carolina | 50 | 53.1 | 43 | 50.7 | 43.3 |
South Dakota | 46.1 | 46.4 | N/A | 34.5 | 44.9 |
Tennessee | 39 | 39.4 | 32.4 | 46.7 | 56.6 |
Texas | 48.2 | 51.7 | 48.5 | 43.1 | 45.3 |
Utah | 55.8 | 57.3 | 47.3 | 46.5 | 54.4 |
Vermont | 59.2 | 59.6 | N/A | 49.5 | 46 |
Virginia | 52.4 | 55.8 | 42.6 | 39.5 | 58.1 |
Washington | 54.2 | 56.5 | 41.9 | 39.3 | 54.6 |
West Virginia | 43 | 42.9 | 42.4 | 46.2 | 52.1 |
Wisconsin | 57.4 | 58.7 | 47.1 | 43.4 | 52 |
Wyoming | 53.1 | 54.1 | N/A | 44.9 | 50.5 |
[edit | edit source]
- Exercise: A type of physical activity that involves planned, structured, and repetitive bodily movement done to maintain or improve one or more components of physical fitness.
- Leisure-time physical activity - Exercise, sports, and physically active hobbies done in one’s leisure time.
- Light-moderate physical activities - These activities might include moderately-paced or leisurely walking or bicycling, slow swimming or dancing, and simple gardening. This definition is available in the NHIS Interviewer’s Manual to provide clarification to respondents, but only if the interviewer is asked.
- Metabolic Equivalent (MET) - The MET is a unit used to estimate the amount of oxygen used by the body during physical activity. The harder the body works, the higher the MET. 1 MET = the energy (oxygen) used while sitting quietly. Any activity that burns 3 to 5.9 METs is considered moderate-intensity physical activity. Any activity that burns 6.0 METs or more is considered vigorous-intensity physical activity.
- Occupational activity - Activity undertaken as part of one’s employment. This does not include exercise or physical activities engaged in at employer sponsored gyms or other facilities.
- Other physical activity topics - Physical activity topics include knowledge of the health benefits of physical activity, engaging in physical activity for health-related reasons, receiving medical advice to exercise, availability of and participation in employer-sponsored exercise facilities, and engaging in family discussions about exercise.
- Perceived physical activity level - Self-perceptions of one’s own physical activity level compared with: a) other persons the same age; b) one’s own activity level at an earlier point in time; and c) the amount of physical activity considered desirable for health.
- Physical activity - Any bodily movement that is produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle and that substantially increases energy expenditure.
- Physical fitness - A set of attributes that people possess or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity and is comprised of skill-related, health-related, and physiological components.
- Strengthening activities - Activities that require strenuous muscular contractions such as weight lifting, resistance training, push-ups, sit-ups, etc.
- Transportation-related activity - Physical activity undertaken for the purpose of getting from place to place, which may include walking, jogging, biking, or any other physically active method of getting from one place to another.
- Vigorous physical activities - These activities might include fast walking, fast bicycling, jogging, strenuous swimming or sports play, vigorous aerobic dance, or strenuous gardening. This definition is available in the Interviewer’s manual to provide clarification to respondents, but only if the interviewer is asked.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "What is physical activity?". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ↑ "Physical Activity". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ↑ "Physical Activity and Mental Health". Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ↑ "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ↑ "Barriers to Physical Activity". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD