Most Americans want to be in better shape, but few are putting in the work to get there, a new survey shows.
More than three-quarters of U.S. adults said that being in shape and looking good were "very important" to them, the survey found. A similar number wanted to change something about their body appearance.
Many people judged themselves as "too fat," or worried that they were not physically strong enough. Despite those feelings, only 31 percent said they make exercise a regular "habit." And 45 percent admitted they weren't active at all, according to ReportLinker, a French technology company that did the survey.
The survey, conducted online in May, included more than 500 U.S. adults. None of the results surprised exercise experts.
It's well known that most U.S. adults fall short of physical activity recommendations, said Heather Hausenblas, a professor of kinesiology at Jacksonville University in Florida.
In fact, only about one-fifth of Americans meet exercise guidelines, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For adults, the guidelines call for 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity each week, along with some kind of muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days out of the week.
Link: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2017/06/20/Study-Americans-want-to-be-fit-but-dont