Major Finding: Fifty percent of American youths have no parks, community centers, or sidewalks in their neighborhoods. Only 17% of high school students are physically active.
Data Source: Data from a variety of behavioral surveys administered between 2006 and 2009.
Disclosures: None
Only 20% of census blocks nationwide have parks within a half-mile of their boundary, according to a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, 50% of U.S. youths say they lack access to parks, community centers, and sidewalks in their neighborhoods.
The State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2010, also documented that only 17% of high school students report getting the recommended 1 hour of exercise per day. Only 65% of adults reported being physically active, which the report defined as 150 minutes per week of moderate physical exercise, 75 minutes per week of vigorous physical exercise, or a combination of the two.
In a prepared statement, First Lady Michelle Obama tied the lack of physical activity to this lack of access. “Today's report shows that too many kids are spending too much time in front of the computer or TV or a video game or have limited access to physical activity, because they live in neighborhoods that aren't safe, go to schools where PE classes have been cut, or live in communities where there are no sports leagues or after-school activity programs,” she said. “We need parents and teachers, business and community leaders, and the public and private sectors to come together to create more opportunities for kids to be active so they can lead happy, healthy lives.”
In preparing the report, the CDC compiled data from various behavioral surveys administered during 2006-2009. The report also included data on state-level efforts to promote physical activity between 2001 and 2009.
Other findings from the report include:
▸ Nationwide, only 30% of high school students take daily physical education classes.
▸ A total of 25% of adults say they engage in no leisure-time physical activity whatsoever.
▸ Only 20 states require or recommend that elementary schools provide scheduled recess.
The full report is available at http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/PA_State_Indicator_Report_2009.pdf