1 in 5 Adults Meets Physical Activity Guidelines About 20 percent of U.S. adults are meeting both the aerobic and musclestrengthening components of the federal government’s physical activity recommendations, according to a report published recently in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is based on self-reported information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual phone survey of adults aged 18 and over conducted by state health departments. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as walking; or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging; or a combination of both. The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities, such as pushups, sit-ups, or activities using resistance bands or weights. These activities should involve all major muscle groups and be done on two or more days per week.
The report finds that nationwide nearly 50 percent of adults are getting the recommended amounts of aerobic activity and about 30 percent are engaging in the recommended musclestrengthening activity. “Although only 20 percent of adults are meeting the overall physical activity recommendations, it is encouraging that half the adults in the United States are meeting the aerobic guidelines and a third are meeting the muscle-strengthening recommendations,” said Carmen D. Harris, M.P.H, epidemiologist in CDC’s physical activity and health branch. The report also found differences among states and the District of Columbia. The rates of adults meeting the overall guidelines ranged from 27 percent in Colorado to 13 percent in Tennessee and West Virginia. The West (24 percent) and the Northeast (21 percent) had the highest proportion of adults who met the guidelines. Women, Hispanics, older adults, and obese adults were all less likely to meet the guidelines.
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Lancaster County Office of Aging is looking for ... APPRISE Volunteer Counselors Volunteers receive specialized training. Be part of this unique learning opportunity while making a significant difference in the life of an older person! For more information contact:
Bev Via, APPRISE Coordinator (717) 299-7979 aging@co.lancaster.pa.us
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PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING ... MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT OCTOBER 15–DECEMBER 7, 2013 Each year Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D Prescription Drug Plans are allowed to change the amounts of plan deductibles, co-pays, total out-of-pocket expenses, and drug formularies. For this reason, Medicare strongly recommends beneficiaries compare their current plan with others. Personalized assistance with such comparisons from APPRISE Medicare counselors will be available at numerous locations during the Open Enrollment Period. There, beneficiaries can receive impartial information about the most comprehensive healthcare and prescription coverage available at the best price possible. Counselors can also determine eligibility for several benefit programs to help with the costs of Medicare and prescription coverage. To schedule an appointment to meet with an APPRISE counselor at one of the following locations, contact the Lancaster County Office of Aging at (717) 299-7979 or (800) 801-3070, or email aging@co.lancaster.pa.us unless otherwise noted. Denver Borough Hall 505 Main Street, Denver Elizabethtown Area Senior Center 70 South Poplar Street, Elizabethtown Ephrata Public Library 550 South Reading Road, Ephrata
Lancaster County Office of Aging 150 North Queen Street, Suite 415 Lancaster Manheim Township Library Overlook Community Campus 595 Granite Run Drive, Lancaster Milanof-Schock Library 1184 Anderson Ferry Road, Mount Joy Next Gen Senior Center 184 South Lime Street, Quarryville Quarryville Library 357 Buck Road, Quarryville The Factory Ministries 3098 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise (Appointments limited to residents of Pequea Valley School District. Contact Kendra Martin at (717) 6879594, ext. 108, to schedule.) The Lancaster APPRISE program is administered through Lancaster County Office of Aging and is a local affiliate of APPRISE, a program of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the designated State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) in Pennsylvania. 54 SHIPs in the U.S. and its territories receive grant funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide direct, local assistance to Medicare beneficiaries through oneon-one counseling sessions, presentations, and public education programs.
Lancaster County Office of Aging 150 North Queen Street, Suite #415 Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 299-7979 For more information, contact Bev Via: viab@co.lancaster.pa.us ADVERTISEMENT
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50plus SeniorNews •
October 2013
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