Prevalence of leisure-time physical activity among overweight adults--United States, 1998.

In the United States, overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions among all segments of the population and regions of the country (1). Obesity is a risk factor for numerous chronic health conditions and weight loss can reduce risk factors for these conditions (2). National guidelines recommend that weight reduction should involve reducing calorie intake and increasing physical activity (3). The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's clinical guidelines (3) and the federal dietary guidelines for Americans (4) recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week for all healthy adults. To assess patterns of physical activity among overweight U.S. adults trying to lose weight, and to estimate the proportion who engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) from selected demographic groups, CDC analyzed data from the 1998 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate that two thirds of overweight persons trying to lose weight reported using physical activity as a strategy for weight loss; however, only one fifth reported being active at recommended levels.