State-specific changes in physical inactivity among persons aged > or = 65 years--United States, 1987-1992.

Regular physical activity can provide important health benefits, even when such activities are initiated later in life (1,2). Despite these benefits, most older persons in the United States have sedentary lifestyles (3). One of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is to reduce to 22% the proportion of adults aged > or = 65 years who engage in no leisure-time physical activity (objective 1.5a) (4). This report uses data from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to summarize state-specific trends during 1987-1992 in the prevalence of physical inactivity during leisure time among persons aged > or = 65 years and projects state-specific prevalences for 1997.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)