It has been reported that most adults in the United States are not meeting the federal physical activity recommendations for both aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activity, according to government statistics announced on Thursday.

According to USA Today, about 79 percent of adults do not meet the physical activity guidelines that suggests getting at least two and a half hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity

Activities can range from brisk walking, running, or bicycling. An additional one hour and fifteen minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity such as jogging is advised as well.

The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, sit-ups or exercise using resistance bands or weights.

The work out needs to be a full-body one involving all major muscle groups and should be done on two or more days a week.

Regular physical activity has been shown to lower the risk of early death, help control weight, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, some types of cancer and a plethora of other conditions.

It also lowers the risk of cognitive decline and hip fractures.

Approximately 20% of American adults participate in regular aerobic and muscle-building activity, according to medscape.com.

According to USA Today, the latest statistics, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found out various statistics that will prove helpful to encourage adults to get active.

Among the many results they found that women, Hispanics, older adults and obese adults were all less likely to meet the exercise guidelines.

Tim Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge stated, "It amazes me that given all the well-known benefits of physical activity that so few Americans choose to be regularly active."

"The most powerful thing you can do for your health is become active."