ACSM |
May
13, 2019

Despite the availability of the Physical Activity Guidelines, health disparities among adults with disabilities continue to increase. The purpose of this ACSM brochure is to highlight meaningful health facts and activity barriers facing adults with disabilities. Several strategies and ideas to overcome these barriers are recommended.
What Do We Know About Adults with Disabilities and Their Physical Activity Participation?
• One in five adults or over 53 million people in the United States have a disability
• 34% of adults with disabilities report 14 or more physically unhealthy days in the past 30 days compared to only 5% for adults without disabilities
• Obesity rates for adults with disabilities are 58% higher than for adults without disabilities
• 38% of adults with disabilities report participating in sufficient aerobic physical activity compared to 54% of adults without disabilities
• Only 14% of adults with disabilities meet both aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines for good health compared to 23% of adults without disabilities
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