Only 2.7 Percent of Americans Living A Healthy Lifestyle

A very small portion of America's population is considered living a healthy lifestyle, the results of a recent study revealed. Only 2.7 percent of people living in the United States are said to be practicing healthy habits.

Published by Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the study involved more than 4,700 respondents who entered their information in the US National Health and Nutrition Survey. They were assesses based on their diet, exercise, smoking habits and efforts to lessen or keep body fats moderate.

It disclosed that the 97.3 percent of the American population had a failing grade in terms of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. "The behavior standards we were measuring for were pretty reasonable, not super high. We weren't looking for marathon runners," explained author Ellen Smit, an OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences professor.

She explained that her team made sure that the standards followed in the study were basic recommendations by doctors. The researchers noted that these simple advice help people avoid heart diseases and other illnesses.

Smit also told RT that the results of the research revealed very low scores for the American adult population. "This is pretty low, to have so few people maintaining what we would consider a healthy lifestyle," she added noting that there is a very big room for improvement which the people should surely use.

It was also highlighted that for a person to be considered health, one should exercise at least 150 minutes a week, not smoke, eat well and maintain normal body fat. These were the basic standards that the US population failed to meet.

RT noted that only 16 percent were placed in the middle and tagged as having a "good enough" health. More than half of the population only met one or two of these criteria.

The study said that these basic standards are simple to follow but are vital in maintaining good health. It also said that characteristics other than those given should also be given ample attention. "Specific health characteristics may be more important for particular cardiovascular disease risk factors," read the study's conclusion.