CDC presents recent trends in health behaviors of US adults

(HealthDay)—In 2008 to 2010, the prevalence of key health behaviors among U.S. adults varied, with about one in five adults current smokers and 62.1 percent overweight or obese, according to a report presented by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

Charlotte A. Schoenborn, M.P.H., from the Division of Health Interview Statistics at the CDC in Hyattsville, Md., and colleagues used data from the 2008 to 2010 National Health Interview Survey to estimate the prevalence of key health behaviors. A representative sample of 76,669 adults aged 18 years and older was interviewed.

The researchers found that, in 2008 to 2010, 64.9 percent of adults were current drinkers and 20.9 percent were lifetime abstainers. About one in five (20.2 percent) were current smokers and less than half (45.8 percent) had attempted to quit in the last year. More than half (58.6 percent) of adults were never smokers. With respect to exercise, 46.1 percent met the federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity, 23.0 percent met guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity, and 19.4 percent met both guidelines. Most adults (62.1 percent) were overweight or obese, with a body mass index of 25 kg/m² or more, while 36.1 percent were a healthy weight. Most adults (69.7 percent) met the Healthy People 2020 goals for adequate sleep.

"This report offers specific information about which subgroups lag in terms of adopting healthy behaviors and may serve as a reference document for the public health community in deciding how best to allocate resources to reduce disparities," the authors write.