Inactive Americans

More than 40 percent of Americans – and 31 percent of the world’s population – are considered physically inactive.

And while women may be the fairer sex, they’re also the lazier – 47.4 percent of American women are inactive. That’s compared to 33.5 percent of American men.

The findings are included a recent study published in The Lancet journal.

Researchers gathered physical activity data for people older than 15 living in 122 countries. The combined population of those countries represents nearly 90 percent of the world’s population.

The report defined physical inactivity as not meeting any of three criteria: 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days every week; 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity at least three days every week; or an equivalent combination achieving 600 metabolic-equivalent minutes per week.

Levels of inactivity varied greatly between World Health Organization regions.

-27.5 percent are inactive in Africa.

-43.3 percent are inactive in the Americas.

-43.2 percent are inactive in the eastern Mediterranean.

-34.8 percent are inactive in Europe.

-Only 17 percent are inactive in southeast Asia.

Like in the U.S., women worldwide are more inactive than men. About 34 percent of women worldwide are inactive compared to about 28 percent of men, according to the report.

The report also found physical inactivity is more common in countries of high income than in those of low income.

How do you compare? Are you considered physically inactive?