Contents
- Recreational fitness participation statistics: U.S. participation and weekly activity benchmarks
- Recreational fitness participation statistics by age and sex
- Recreational fitness participation statistics by race and ethnicity
- Recreational fitness participation statistics by education and income
- Recreational fitness participation statistics by location, disability, and health
- Recreational fitness participation statistics among older adults
- Sources
Recreational fitness participation statistics: U.S. participation and weekly activity benchmarks
“Participation” can describe different things: trying an activity at least once, meeting a weekly activity threshold, or meeting several federal guidelines. Those measures answer different questions, so the percentages and counts below should be read within their stated definitions and years.
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) reported that 250 million Americans age 6 and older took part in at least 1 of 126 tracked sport, fitness, or leisure activities during 2025. Its separate CORE measure counted 158.8 million participants. SFIA defines CORE participants as people who take part in the majority of play occasions for each sport or activity. Overall participation grew 1.2% from 2024 to 2025, while CORE participation increased 1.3% over that period. These are broad participation measures, not counts of people who met a weekly exercise recommendation. Source: SFIA, 2026 Topline Report
SFIA also introduced a weekly measure based on heart-rate elevation. It reported that 32% of Americans met its measure of the federal recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity in 2025. The report separately said the share described as totally inactive fell below 20% that year, for the first time since SFIA began tracking, after 7 consecutive years of decline. The release gives no exact percentage for the below-20% figure. Neither that inactivity measure nor the weekly benchmark is equivalent to SFIA’s at-least-once participation count. Source: SFIA, 2026 Topline Report
A different benchmark comes from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). In 2024, 47.2% of U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized adults age 18 and older met federal aerobic activity guidelines during leisure time. For this NHIS measure, the threshold is at least 150–300 minutes per week of moderate activity, 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination. It measures guideline attainment, not whether a person participated in any recreational activity. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
| Measure | Population and period | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Took part in at least 1 tracked activity | Americans age 6 and older, 2025 | 250 million |
| CORE participants | Americans age 6 and older, 2025 | 158.8 million |
| SFIA weekly activity measure | Americans, 2025 | 32% |
| NHIS leisure-time aerobic guidelines | U.S. adults age 18 and older, 2024 | 47.2% |
Sources: SFIA, 2026 Topline Report; NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db555.htm)
Recreational fitness participation statistics by age and sex
NHIS data show variation across age groups in the share meeting the federal aerobic guidelines during leisure time. In 2024, the reported percentages were 54.0% for adults age 18–34, 49.8% for those age 35–49, and 44.6% for those age 50–64. For adults age 65 and older, the figure was 38.4%. These are age-group estimates for U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized adults; they describe aerobic guideline attainment, not all physical activity in daily life. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
| Adult age group | Meeting federal leisure-time aerobic guidelines, 2024 |
|---|---|
| 18–34 | 54.0% |
| 35–49 | 49.8% |
| 50–64 | 44.6% |
| 65 and older | 38.4% |
Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
The same NHIS measure was 52.3% among adult men and 42.4% among adult women in 2024. These figures apply to adults age 18 and older and count leisure-time aerobic activity meeting the federal guidelines. They should not be read as a measure of total movement, occupational activity, or strength training. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
Healthy People 2030 publishes a higher regular leisure-time aerobic activity threshold: moderate activity for 300+ minutes per week or vigorous activity for 150+ minutes per week. Its 2024 sex estimates, age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population, were 35.7% for males and 24.1% for females. Because this threshold differs from the NHIS federal-guideline measure, these percentages should not be compared as if they use one definition. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
Recreational fitness participation statistics by race and ethnicity
NHIS and Healthy People 2030 provide race and ethnicity estimates using different activity thresholds. Under the 2024 NHIS measure of meeting federal aerobic guidelines during leisure time, the reported percentages were 49.2% for White, non-Hispanic adults; 47.9% for Asian, non-Hispanic adults; 41.4% for Black, non-Hispanic adults; and 43.8% for Hispanic adults. The report defines Hispanic adults as people who may be of any race or combination of races. These estimates cover U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized adults age 18 and older. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
Healthy People 2030’s 2024 figures use its higher regular leisure-time threshold of moderate activity for 300+ minutes per week or vigorous activity for 150+ minutes per week. The age-adjusted estimates were 31.2% for adults identifying as White only, 27.0% for American Indian or Alaska Native only, 25.7% for Asian only, 27.6% for Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, 25.9% for Black or African American only, and 32.8% for adults identifying with 2 or more races. These are separate categories and labels from the NHIS estimates; the numbers are not interchangeable. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
| Healthy People 2030 race or ethnicity category | Meeting higher regular leisure-time threshold, 2024 |
|---|---|
| White only | 31.2% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native only | 27.0% |
| Asian only | 25.7% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only | 27.6% |
| Black or African American only | 25.9% |
| 2 or more races | 32.8% |
Estimates are age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
Recreational fitness participation statistics by education and income
For adults age 25 and older, Healthy People 2030 reported higher-threshold regular leisure-time aerobic activity estimates by education in 2024. The age-adjusted percentages were 19.7% for those with less than a high school education, 22.9% for high school graduates, 27.9% for people with some college or an associate degree, and 35.5% for people with a 4-year college degree or more. Each figure uses the same higher threshold: moderate activity for 300+ minutes per week or vigorous activity for 150+ minutes per week. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
| Educational attainment, age 25 and older | Meeting higher regular leisure-time threshold, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Less than high school | 19.7% |
| High school | 22.9% |
| Some college or associate degree | 27.9% |
| 4-year college degree or more | 35.5% |
Estimates are age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
The same Healthy People 2030 measure varies across family income categories expressed as a percentage of the poverty threshold. In 2024, the age-adjusted estimates were 21.8% for family income below 100% of the threshold, 22.9% for 100%–199%, 26.6% for 200%–399%, and 36.5% for 400% or more. These categories describe income relative to the poverty threshold; they are not dollar income bands. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
Healthy People 2030 also reports 2024 estimates by insurance status for adults age 18–64. The age-adjusted percentage meeting its higher leisure-time threshold was 33.8% among adults with private health insurance and 24.5% among those with public health insurance. These figures describe the defined age range and activity threshold; they do not establish why the estimates differ. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
Recreational fitness participation statistics by location, disability, and health
In Healthy People 2030’s higher regular leisure-time aerobic measure, 30.2% of adults in metropolitan areas met the threshold in 2024, compared with 27.1% of adults in non-metropolitan areas. These age-adjusted estimates use moderate activity for 300+ minutes per week or vigorous activity for 150+ minutes per week. The geographic categories identify location type; the figures do not explain the reasons for any difference. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
For disability status, the corresponding age-adjusted 2024 estimates were 17.1% among adults with disabilities and 31.1% among adults without disabilities. Both percentages refer to the same Healthy People 2030 activity threshold. They describe reported guideline attainment and do not indicate what accommodations, access, or other circumstances may be associated with the figures. Source: Healthy People 2030, PA-03 data
NHIS reports a different 2024 measure—meeting federal aerobic activity guidelines during leisure time—by body mass index category and self-assessed health. The reported percentages were 54.8% for adults categorized as healthy weight, 49.8% for adults categorized as overweight, and 38.0% for adults with obesity. These are estimates for U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized adults age 18 and older. They describe categories in the survey and should not be treated as evidence that body weight caused a particular activity level. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
On the same NHIS leisure-time aerobic measure, 57.8% of adults reporting excellent or very good health met the guidelines, compared with 39.3% of those reporting good health and 23.7% of those reporting fair or poor health in 2024. Health status here is respondent assessed. The estimates describe an association across survey categories and do not establish its direction or cause. Source: NCHS, Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
Recreational fitness participation statistics among older adults
A separate NCHS analysis uses 2022 NHIS data to measure adults age 65 and older who met both federal aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations during leisure time. The age-adjusted total was 13.9% among U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized, community-dwelling older adults. Because this measure requires both types of activity, it is narrower than the 2024 NHIS aerobic-only measure reported in earlier sections. The different survey years and criteria make direct comparison inappropriate. Source: NCHS, Characteristics of Older Adults Who Met Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2022
The 2022 age-specific percentages were 16.8% among adults age 65–74, 12.3% among those age 75–84, and 6.2% among adults age 85 and older. These age-group figures are not age adjusted, unlike the overall 13.9% estimate. They refer to meeting both the leisure-time aerobic and muscle-strengthening criteria. Source: NCHS, Characteristics of Older Adults Who Met Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2022
Among adults age 65 and older in 2022, the age-adjusted percentages meeting both recommendations were 16.9% for men and 11.5% for women. By race and ethnicity, the report gives age-adjusted figures of 15.2% for White, non-Hispanic adults, 12.2% for Asian, non-Hispanic adults, 10.2% for Black, non-Hispanic adults, and 10.3% for Hispanic adults. The report states that the difference between White and Asian adults was not statistically significant; the figures alone should not be used to infer differences beyond the report’s stated findings. Source: NCHS, Characteristics of Older Adults Who Met Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2022
Sources
- Participation Hits New High, but Majority of Americans Not Yet Meeting Recommended Guidelines of Weekly Activity, SFIA’s 2026 Topline Report Finds
- Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
- Increase the proportion of adults who do enough aerobic physical activity for extensive health benefits — Data - Healthy People 2030
- Characteristics of Older Adults Who Met Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2022