Cardiovascular Atlas
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Physical inactivity

Not getting regular physical activity. WHO lists it as a modifiable risk factor for high blood pressure. In the United States, 29.1% of adults were physically inactive in 2015 to 2016, down from 30.9% in 2011 to 2012, by the definition used in the Million Hearts baseline report. MedlinePlus says regular exercise has many benefits, including a lower risk of many long-term diseases, and that aerobic exercise helps keep the heart, lungs and circulation healthy. Its cardiac rehabilitation page also lists not exercising among the risk factors that rehabilitation teaches people to reduce.

Also called Sedentary behavior · Not being physically active

  • Risk factor
  • In this atlas

Overview

Technical summary

The MeSH heading Sedentary Behavior (D057185) is a broad match, not an exact one. Definitions differ by source: the Million Hearts report counts an adult as inactive when they report no light to moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity for at least 10 minutes. Evidence recorded: a WHO risk-factor list for hypertension (descriptive claim, no effect size) and the US prevalence figures (burden claim). No effect size for inactivity and heart disease is recorded here.

Definition

Not being physically active. The Million Hearts baseline report defines it as reporting no light to moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity for at least 10 minutes; the WHO fact sheet does not define it.

Type
Exposure

Contexts

Context Risk factors for hypertension as listed by WHO

Recipient
Recipient not specified
Population
Not defined for the risk-factor list. The fact sheet's key facts concern adults aged 30 to 79 years.
Care setting
Not stated in the source.
Geography
Worldwide (WHO fact sheet).
Life stage
Not stated for the risk-factor list
Gestational age
Not reported
Postnatal age
Not reported
Follow-up
Not stated in the source.
Eligibility: inclusion criteria not stated; exclusion criteria not stated
Included
None stated
Excluded
None stated

Context US adults aged 18 and older in the National Health Interview Survey (Million Hearts baseline report)

Recipient
Adult
Population
US adults aged 18 and older; the physical inactivity analyses included 202,941 adults from 2011 to 2016 (report).
Care setting
Survey data from the National Health Interview Survey.
Geography
United States
Life stage
Adults aged 18 and older
Follow-up
Two-year survey cycles from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016.
Eligibility: 1 inclusion criterion; exclusion criteria not stated
Included
  • US adults aged 18 and older in the National Health Interview Survey
Excluded
None stated

Claims and evidence

Context Risk factors for hypertension as listed by WHO

Recipient
Recipient not specified
Population
Not defined for the risk-factor list. The fact sheet's key facts concern adults aged 30 to 79 years.
Care setting
Not stated in the source.
Geography
Worldwide (WHO fact sheet).
Life stage
Not stated for the risk-factor list
Gestational age
Not reported
Postnatal age
Not reported
Follow-up
Not stated in the source.
Eligibility: inclusion criteria not stated; exclusion criteria not stated
Included
None stated
Excluded
None stated

  • Description Guidance Certainty not assessed

    The WHO hypertension fact sheet (25 September 2025) lists physical inactivity among the modifiable risk factors for hypertension, together with unhealthy diets, consumption of tobacco and alcohol, and being overweight or obese. Its overview list of things that increase the risk of having high blood pressure includes not being physically active.

    Applies to Recipient not specified
    • Not defined for the risk-factor list. The fact sheet's key facts concern adults aged 30 to 79 years.
    • Not stated in the source.
    • Worldwide (WHO fact sheet).
    • Not stated for the risk-factor list
    • Gestational age Not reported
    • Postnatal age Not reported
    Follow-up Not stated in the source.
    Certainty method
    Not assessed
    Limitations
    This is a risk-factor list on a WHO fact sheet. It gives no effect size, no population for the list and no certainty rating, and it does not say how much inactivity raises the risk. It concerns hypertension, not coronary artery disease or other heart conditions.
    Last checked
    2026-10-15
    Next evidence check due
    Not scheduled
    Sources and citations (3)

    1. Supports Hypertension (WHO fact sheet)

      Webpage · World Health Organization · Edition WHO fact sheet fetched 2026-10-15; the page is dated 25 September 2025.

      Locator
      Risk factors, paragraph 1
      How it applies
      Modifiable risk factors include physical inactivity.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      2025-09-25
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      32ffbba46cfbc27cba316446a74eaf7ebc28af89d3b245232bc426c70842d902
      Reuse basis
      The WHO terms of use (fetched 2026-10-15 as cl-who-terms-of-use.html, sha256 8edac88c0773639d74a023402b231adafb407e8a680e6620c099eb5a17fb61ab, hash only) say extracts of the web site may be reproduced for research or private study but not for sale or for commercial use, with acknowledgment of WHO as the source. Public text is quote, with short quotations only and attribution. Hash only; the page is not committed.

    2. Supports Hypertension (WHO fact sheet)

      Webpage · World Health Organization · Edition WHO fact sheet fetched 2026-10-15; the page is dated 25 September 2025.

      Locator
      Overview, list of things that increase risk
      How it applies
      The overview list includes not being physically active.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      2025-09-25
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      32ffbba46cfbc27cba316446a74eaf7ebc28af89d3b245232bc426c70842d902
      Reuse basis
      The WHO terms of use (fetched 2026-10-15 as cl-who-terms-of-use.html, sha256 8edac88c0773639d74a023402b231adafb407e8a680e6620c099eb5a17fb61ab, hash only) say extracts of the web site may be reproduced for research or private study but not for sale or for commercial use, with acknowledgment of WHO as the source. Public text is quote, with short quotations only and attribution. Hash only; the page is not committed.

    3. Background Hypertension (WHO fact sheet)

      Webpage · World Health Organization · Edition WHO fact sheet fetched 2026-10-15; the page is dated 25 September 2025.

      Locator
      Overview, paragraph 1
      How it applies
      The fact sheet's definition of hypertension.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      2025-09-25
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      32ffbba46cfbc27cba316446a74eaf7ebc28af89d3b245232bc426c70842d902
      Reuse basis
      The WHO terms of use (fetched 2026-10-15 as cl-who-terms-of-use.html, sha256 8edac88c0773639d74a023402b231adafb407e8a680e6620c099eb5a17fb61ab, hash only) say extracts of the web site may be reproduced for research or private study but not for sale or for commercial use, with acknowledgment of WHO as the source. Public text is quote, with short quotations only and attribution. Hash only; the page is not committed.

Context US adults aged 18 and older in the National Health Interview Survey (Million Hearts baseline report)

Recipient
Adult
Population
US adults aged 18 and older; the physical inactivity analyses included 202,941 adults from 2011 to 2016 (report).
Care setting
Survey data from the National Health Interview Survey.
Geography
United States
Life stage
Adults aged 18 and older
Follow-up
Two-year survey cycles from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016.
Eligibility: 1 inclusion criterion; exclusion criteria not stated
Included
  • US adults aged 18 and older in the National Health Interview Survey
Excluded
None stated

  • Burden Observational Certainty not assessed

    In the Million Hearts 2022 baseline report on key cardiovascular disease risk factors, the prevalence of physical inactivity among US adults was 29.1% during 2015 to 2016, a small but statistically significant decrease from 30.9% during 2011 to 2012. The report defines physical inactivity as reporting no light to moderate or vigorous leisure-time physical activity for at least 10 minutes, and it treats physical inactivity as one of the cardiovascular disease risk factors targeted for reduction by the initiative.

    Applies to Adult
    • US adults aged 18 and older; the physical inactivity analyses included 202,941 adults from 2011 to 2016 (report).
    • Survey data from the National Health Interview Survey.
    • United States
    • Adults aged 18 and older
    Follow-up Two-year survey cycles from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016.
    Certainty method
    Not assessed
    Limitations
    The figures are from US survey data on adults and describe how common inactivity was, not how much it raises the risk. They cover 2015 to 2016 and earlier years; this record has not looked for later data.
    Last checked
    2026-10-15
    Next evidence check due
    Not scheduled
    Sources and citations (3)

    1. Supports Vital Signs: Prevalence of Key Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors for Million Hearts 2022 — United States, 2011–2016

      Publication · Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · Edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities. · PMCID: PMC6132182 · PMID: 30188885 · DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6735a4

      Locator
      Results, para 7
      How it applies
      Prevalence in 2015-2016 and the change since 2011-2012.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      f4ba555ec87878907faf09b176295eb6843d41bc9badf8a1c4c872c167e2f1a3
      Reuse basis
      PMC Open Access subset article under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. The article's own <permissions> states the licence. The XML is committed unaltered, with the citation and licence kept in the file. The raw file is committed at research/snapshots/cl-pmc-PMC6132182.xml.

    2. Supports Vital Signs: Prevalence of Key Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors for Million Hearts 2022 — United States, 2011–2016

      Publication · Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · Edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities. · PMCID: PMC6132182 · PMID: 30188885 · DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6735a4

      Locator
      Abstract, Introduction, sentences 2 and 3; Abstract, Results, sentence 2
      How it applies
      The report treats physical inactivity as a targeted risk factor.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      f4ba555ec87878907faf09b176295eb6843d41bc9badf8a1c4c872c167e2f1a3
      Reuse basis
      PMC Open Access subset article under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. The article's own <permissions> states the licence. The XML is committed unaltered, with the citation and licence kept in the file. The raw file is committed at research/snapshots/cl-pmc-PMC6132182.xml.

    3. Background Vital Signs: Prevalence of Key Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors for Million Hearts 2022 — United States, 2011–2016

      Publication · Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · Edition PMC Open Access subset full-text XML, from NCBI E-utilities. · PMCID: PMC6132182 · PMID: 30188885 · DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6735a4

      Locator
      Methods, physical inactivity definition
      How it applies
      How the survey defines physical inactivity.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      f4ba555ec87878907faf09b176295eb6843d41bc9badf8a1c4c872c167e2f1a3
      Reuse basis
      PMC Open Access subset article under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. The article's own <permissions> states the licence. The XML is committed unaltered, with the citation and licence kept in the file. The raw file is committed at research/snapshots/cl-pmc-PMC6132182.xml.

Clinical links

Each link reports what one cited claim says about one population. "Evaluated for" means studied, not shown to work. These links do not show that anything is effective or right for you.

Record details

Record id
cardio:physical-inactivity
Content hash
63a94d37a6ab735e9dbc1f68c6d5737d78f4c1a3167e330a718a0809a7b64cbd