Americans Exercising Less than 2012

Compared to the same time last year, American’s are exercising less, according to the latest Gallup poll.

With 2012 as the warmest year on record since 1895, exercising habits were up, but have dropped back down again in 2013. In April, 52.4% of Americans exercised for at least 30 minutes three or more days a week compared to 53.9% a year earlier.

Although the percentage of Americans reporting frequent exercise has been down every year compared to 2012, the numbers are back in line with 2011.

While 2012 was the warmest year in more than a century, the beginning of 2013 has been relatively cold. According to Gallup, April broke thousands of cold-weather records and some cities are still receiving snow in May.

“It is interesting to note that frequent exercise — which does follow a typical seasonal pattern of being higher in the spring and summer and lower in the fall and winter — is indeed down during a time of unusually cold weather and had previously increased amid record-breaking warmth.”

Overall, though, Americans are still exercising more frequently than they did during the recession in 2009.