Louisiana residents are among the least likely to exercise in the country
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Louisianans are logging the least amount of exercise in the country, according to new Apple Watch data.
Why it matters: It's not good news for a state that struggles with obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
The big picture: Only 41.3% of Louisiana adults get the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of exercise a week, the data shows.
- It's worse than the national average of 54%.
Driving the news: Louisiana was the second worst state for exercising, according to Apple and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital.
- Mississippi was the worst, with only 38.5% of residents logging at least 150 minutes of exercise weekly.
Meanwhile, Louisiana has one of the country's highest prescribing rates for anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, according to insurance claims data provided to Axios by health analytics company PurpleLab.
Reality check: People included in this exercise research were adults who track their fitness data with an Apple Watch — presumably a particularly health-conscious bunch.
- It doesn't include other trackers like Fitbits or Android devices.
- The CDC also recommends two additional days of muscle-strengthening activity.
The intrigue: We're no longer in the heyday of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and CrossFit. Now, low-impact and functional fitness workouts are all the rage for American adults.
- More than one-third of Americans say they prefer low-intensity training exclusively, according to recent data from exercise booking platform Mindbody.
- Pilates, in particular, is increasing in popularity.
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