Daily HealthBeat Tip

A bit more active

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Thirty minutes of moderate activity on most if not all days of the week. That’s the least we should do for good health. But survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than half of us don’t do it. In 2003, only about 46 percent of us at least met the minimum.

However, America did improve – about sixth-tenths of a percentage point – from 2001. So the CDC’s Dr. Sanjeeb Sapkota says the findings offer hope. He also offers ideas on how people can get more active:

"They could start by activities they enjoy most and they are comfortable with, such as being more active in household work – vacuuming, cleaning, working in the yard. They could also play with family members – children – more often; take them out for a walk after dinner." (13 seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December 2, 2005

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