On this page: About the National Data | Methodology | History
About the National Data
Data
Data Source: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS
Baseline: 26.1 percent of adults aged 18 years and over engaged in no leisure-time physical activity in 2020
Target: 21.8 percent
Methodology
Questions used to obtain the national baseline data
From the 2020 National Health Interview Survey:
Numerator:
The next questions are about physical activities such as exercise, sports, or physically active hobbies that you may do in your LEISURE time. We are interested in two types of physical activity --- moderate and vigorous-intensity. Moderate-intensity activities cause moderate increases in breathing or heart rate whereas vigorous-intensity activities cause large increases in breathing or heart rate.
How often do you do MODERATE-INTENSITY LEISURE-TIME physical activities? [Read if necessary:] How many times per day, per week, per month, or per year do you do these activities?- Never
- Unable to do this type activity
- _____ times per day/week/month/year
- Refused
- Don't know
- Never
- Unable to do this type activity
- _____ times per day/week/month/year
- Refused
- Don't know
Methodology notes
Adults are classified as not engaging in leisure time physical activity if they answer "never" or "unable to do this type of activity" to both the vigorous and moderate physical activity questions. Responses of "over 28 times per week" to either vigorous or moderate or both sets of questions were eliminated from the denominator.
Age-adjustment notes
This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:
- Total: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Sex: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Race/Ethnicity: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Educational Attainment: 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Family Type: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Country of Birth: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Disability Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Geographic Location: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Health Insurance Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64
- Sexual orientation: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
- Marital Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
History
- Revised.
In 2022, this objective was revised due to the 2019 NHIS redesign and 2020 survey question changes. The baseline questions changed from, "How often do you do VIGOROUS leisure-time physical activities for AT LEAST 10 MINUTES that cause HEAVY sweating or LARGE increases in breathing or heart rate?" and "How often do you do LIGHT OR MODERATE LEISURE-TIME physical activities for AT LEAST 10 MINUTES that cause ONLY LIGHT sweating or a SLIGHT to MODERATE increase in breathing or heart rate?" to "How often do you do MODERATE-INTENSITY LEISURE-TIME physical activities?" and "How often do you do VIGOROUS-INTENSITY LEISURE-TIME physical activities?"
The baseline was revised from 25.4% in 2018 to 26.1% in 2020. The target was revised from 21.2% to 21.8% using the original target setting method. - Revised.
In 2024, the following categories were recalculated with the use of a newer variable: Never married, American Indian or Alaska Native only, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, 2 or more races only, Not Hispanic or Latino American Indian or Alaska Native only, Not Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, Not Hispanic or Latino 2 or more races only. Estimates from data year 2022 or earlier may vary slightly from estimates previously reported. The baseline, baseline year and target were not affected.
1. Effect size h=0.1 was chosen to correspond with 10% improvement from a baseline of 50%.
