The Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, released in 1996, found that regular moderate physical activity can substantially reduce the risk of developing or dying from heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure. Inactivity increases with age and is more common among women than men and among those with lower income and less education than among those with higher income or education. For people who are already moderately active, greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount of physical activity. Among young people aged 12 to 21, almost 50 percent are not vigorously active on a regular basis. Female adolescents are much less physically active than male adolescents.
Physical activity declines dramatically with age during adolescence.
High school students' enrollment in daily physical education classes dropped from 42 percent in 1991 to 25 percent in 1995. Only 19 percent of all high school students are physically active for 20 minutes or more in physical education classes every day during the school week. More community-led efforts are needed.