Americans not hitting the treadmill often enough

WASHINGTON - Many Americans are failing to meet the minimum recommendations for exercise, although confusing guidelines are making it difficult to assess, researchers reported yesterday.

Depending on which federal exercise recommendations are used, either about half or t two-thirds of Americans meet minimum goals, the team at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

"Additional efforts are needed to further increase physical activity," they concluded in the CDC's weekly report on death and disease.

"Approximately one-third of US adults did not report meeting minimum levels of aerobic physical activity as defined by the 2008 Guidelines."

Under guidelines released by the US Health and Human Services Department in October, the minimum recommended aerobic physical activity is 150 minutes - 2 1/2 hours - a week of moderate activity such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity such as running.

Just under 65 percent of adults reached that goal, the CDC said.

The government's Healthy People 2010 objectives call for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous activity three days per week. Only 49 percent met these goals.

For the study the CDC used a telephone survey of 399,000 US adults.

The CDC said it is easier to meet overall goals of minutes of exercise per week.It may be less confusing to advise people to get exercise when they can, the CDC said.