Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to maintain and improve our overall health. Being active has both short-term and long-term benefits. Even one session of activity can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and help with thinking and focus. Over time, regular activity supports brain health, helps manage weight, lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and severe illness from infections. It can also improve sleep and overall well-being. People who don’t get enough regular physical activity can increase their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and other health problems.
According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , children and teens ages 6-17 should get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. Activities like playing sports or participating in recess and physical education classes during school can help them get this daily exercise. Adults and older adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) each week, include muscle-strengthening activities twice a week, and add balance-focused activities as they age.
In 2023, Asian American adults were 4% more likely than U.S. adults overall to meet national aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines.
In 2023, Asian American adolescents were 45% less likely than students nationwide to meet national aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines.
From 2022 to 2023, Asian American children ages 6 to 13 years were 36% less likely than all U.S. children in that age group to meet national aerobic physical activity guidelines.
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Adults
Adults ages 18 and over meeting aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines, percentage, 2023 Asian Total Population Ratio (Asian / Total) 31.3 30.0 1.04
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Data, Trend and Maps, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: Adults meeting aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines Adults ages 18 and over meeting muscle strengthening guidelines, percentage, 2023 Asian Total Population Ratio (Asian / Total) 43.0 41.0 1.05
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Data, Trend and Maps, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: Adults meeting muscle strengthening guidelines Adults ages 18 and over engaging in no leisure-time physical activity, percentage, 2024 Asian Total Population Ratio (Asian / Total) 17.9 22.5 0.80
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Data, Trend and Maps, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: Adults who engage in no leisure-time physical activity Adults ages 18 and over performing leisure time muscle-strengthening activities 2+ days/week, percentage, 2024 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 33.0 32.9 1.00
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). National Health Interview Survey, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of adults who do enough muscle-strengthening activity Adults ages 18 and over who walked for leisure in the past 7 days, percentage, 2022 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 63.8 58.7 1.09
Source: Adjaye-Gbewonyo, D., & Briones, E. M. (2024). Walking for leisure and transportation among adults: United States, 2022 Children and Adolescents
Children ages 6-13 years meeting aerobic physical activity guidelines, percentage, 2022 - 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 14.6 22.7 0.64
Source: Health and Resource Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. (2025). National Survey of Children's Health, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of children who do enough aerobic physical activity Children and adolescents ages 6-17 years who participated in sports teams or lessons in the past 12 months, percentage 2022 - 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 49.9 54.6 0.91
Source: Health and Resource Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. (2025). National Survey of Children's Health, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of children and adolescents who play sports Adolescents meeting federal guidelines for muscle-strengthening activity, percentage, 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 45.6 51.1 0.89
"Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of adolescents who do enough muscle-strengthening activity Adolescents meeting federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity, percentage, 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) 9.1 16.5 0.55
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2025). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of adolescents who do enough aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity Students in grades 9-12 who attended physical education (PE) classes on all 5 days, percentage, 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) Male 23.2 31.4 0.74 Female 17.8 23.1 0.77 Both Sexes 20.6 27.4 0.75
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data: High school students who attended physical education (PE) classes on all 5 days Students in grades 9-12 who were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on all 7 days*, percentage, 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) Male 20.2 32.2 0.63 Female 11.0 16.6 0.66 Both Sexes 15.6 24.6 0.63
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data: High school students who were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on all 7 days Students in grades 9-12 who were not physically active for at least 60 minutes on at least 1 day*, percentage , 2023 Asian* Total Population Ratio (Asian* / Total) Male 15.2 11.5 1.32 Female 22.3 20.4 1.09 Both Sexes 18.8 15.9 1.18
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data: High school students who were not physically active for at least 60 minutes on at least 1 day *Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
