Most Trying to Shed Weight Don’t Exercise Enough, Study Finds

The vast majority of overweight adults trying to shed pounds aren’t getting enough exercise, the government said Thursday.

A 1998 national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 53.8% of American adults reported being overweight and that half of them were trying to lose weight.

Most of those trying to lose weight--62.7%--were exercising, but only 28% said they exercised 30 minutes a day at least five days a week, the minimum government recommendation.

The average overweight person trying to lose weight exercised three days a week--generally by walking.

“The good news is that many people are using physical activity, and we want to encourage that but promote doing it more frequently,” said Mary Ellen Simpson, a spokeswoman for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

“Regular physical activity is the key factor in successful long-term weight maintenance,” she said.

The CDC considers anyone up to 30 pounds over the target weight for body size to be overweight. Anyone above the 30-pound mark is considered obese. This study looked only at overweight people.

The study found that overweight adults in Southern states are least likely to exercise, while those in the Midwest are the most active.

Among those trying to take off pounds, 66.6% of men and 62.2% of women said they exercise.

Among men with a college degree, 72.7% said they exercise, while only 47.4% of those without a high school education exercise. Among college-educated women, 71.9% said they exercise, while 44.6% of women without a high school diploma do.

Simpson speculated that highly educated people are more likely to belong to health clubs or play social sports such as golf.

The survey found walking was the most commonly reported activity among men, followed by jogging, weightlifting and golf. Women also preferred walking followed by aerobics, gardening and exercise machines, the CDC said.

“Walking is the preferred physical activity among both men and women. It was about three times higher than any other physical activity that was reported,” she said.