Approximately 25 percent of U.S. adults are not active at all. African American and Hispanic adults than whites. Older than younger adults. Less affluent than more affluent people. The loss of strength and stamina attributed to aging is in part caused by reduced physical activity.
Inactivity increases with age.
By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity. Among adults aged 65 years and older, walking and gardening or yard work are, by far, the most popular physical activities. Social support from family and friends has been consistently and positively related to regular physical activity. Benefits of Physical Activity Helps maintain the ability to live independently and reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones. Reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.