1 in 7 seniors meet federal physical activity guidelines
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Roughly 1 in 7 Americans 65 and older are meeting federal physical activity guidelines during their leisure time, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
Why it matters: Older Americans will make up more than 20% of the U.S. population by 2030. Regular physical activity could help more of them maintain physical function, reduce their risk of chronic conditions and falls and lower health care costs.
Older adults have the same targets for physical activity as all adults, including 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, the researchers say.
- But older adults also have guidelines such as performing "multi-component physical activity" that includes balance activities, such as tai chi, in addition to the aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
What they found: More senior men (16.9%) met the guidelines compared to women (11.5%).
- Greater percentages of seniors living in the West met physical activity guidelines compared those living in the Northeast or South.
- Seniors who had more education and greater incomes were more likely to meet the exercise guidelines, as did seniors who lived in metropolitan areas.
