Trends in Meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines: Muscle-Strengthening Alone and Combined With Aerobic Activity, United States, 1998-2018.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Repeated cross-sectional surveillance study using national survey data
PubMed 34465652 · doi:10.1123/jpah.2021-0077
What was done
Researchers analyzed 1998–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to assess 20-year trends in US adults meeting the muscle-strengthening guideline (at least 2 days per week) and the combined aerobic (at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity equivalent) and muscle-strengthening guidelines. Age-adjusted prevalence and linear and higher-order trends were evaluated overall and by respondent characteristics.
What was found
From 1998 to 2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of meeting the muscle-strengthening guideline rose from 17.7% to 27.6%, and meeting the combined guideline rose from 14.4% to 24.0%. Significant increases were observed across all demographic subgroups over the 21-year period, with upward trends more consistently sustained in the second decade (2008–2018).
Why it matters
This study provides two decades of national surveillance data demonstrating steady improvements in adherence to federal physical activity guidelines, while showing that roughly three-quarters of US adults still fail to meet combined guidelines.
Limits
The abstract does not state the total sample size, response rates, or subgroup-specific figures. Activity levels rely on self-reported survey metrics rather than device-based measures, which are susceptible to recall and social desirability bias.
Cited by
- supports Global physical activity guidelines commonly recommend performing muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week.