Medical experts argue about how much exercise is necessary to maintain or improve one's health, but all agree that a healthy lifestyle should include regular exercise. It is widely accepted that regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, and according to Stroke, a journal published by the American Heart Association, moderate to high-intensity exercise may help prevent strokes. As medical evidence on the value of exercise continues to accumulate, are Americans taking heed and getting physical?
According to Gallup's 2003 Health and Healthcare poll*, conducted Nov. 3-5, nearly half of Americans (48%) say they participate in vigorous sports or physical activities at least once in a typical week. However, when it comes to moderate sports or recreational activities, more than 8 in 10 (82%) say they participate at least once a week.
In line with findings from previous years, men are still exercising more vigorously than women are. Fifty-five percent of men said they engage in vigorous exercise at least once a week, compared with 42% of women**.
A majority of Americans (55%) say that they participate in moderate activity at least three times a week, and the gender gap narrows with regard to this level of activity. Men are slightly more likely than women to say they get moderate exercise at least three times a week (57% of men vs. 52% of women). Twelve percent of men and 19% of women say that they do not engage in any moderate exercise in a typical week.
Overall, about 3 in 10 Americans can be classified as highly active, while about the same proportion fit the sedentary classification. Women are significantly more likely than men to fall into the latter category; while about a quarter of men can be grouped into the sedentary category, the figure rises to 34% among women.
Bottom Line
The new research about the relationship between exercise and strokes joins an already substantial body of evidence pointing toward the positive impact exercise has on preventing disease. According to the research published in Stroke, highly active people had a 27% lower risk of stroke or stroke death than less active people did. Gallup's data suggest that the majority of Americans, and especially women, need to exercise more than they do.
*Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,007 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Nov. 3-5, 2003. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.
**For results based on the sample of 482 men and 525 women, the maximum margins of sampling error are ±5 percentage points.