Americans eat out, but don't work out

Pop quiz. On any given day, guess how many Americans participate in some kind of vigorous exercise.

30%? 15%?

Not even close. In a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 80,000 respondents were asked about their activity level in the preceding 24 hours. Only 5.07% of them had worked up a sweat - and that .07% guy clearly wasn't giving it his all so, in my opinion, he shouldn't count. From Science Daily:

While most Americans engage in sedentary activities such as eating and drinking (95.6%), followed by watching television/movies (80.1%), and light activities such as washing, dressing, and grooming oneself (78.9%), and driving a car, truck, or motorcycle (71.4%), most did not engage in moderate or vigorous activities. The most frequently reported moderate activities were food and drink preparation (25.7%), followed by lawn, garden, and houseplant care (10.6%). The most frequently reported vigorous activities were using cardiovascular equipment (2.2%) and running (1.1%).

"Most did not engage in moderate or vigorous activities?" How? Maybe, just maybe, I understand the 5.07% number for vigorous exercise. A lot of people tend to save hard workouts for the weekend and the study isn't clear as to which day of the week they were called upon for the survey. (Although if cardio equipment topped the list at 2.2%, that means that, provided you count sex as a vigorous activity, fewer people did the nasty than the Stairmaster, which is really sad.) But the moderate exercise minority stumps me. Even if I'm feeling lazy, a day doesn't go by where I don't walk or bike somewhere. And even if I'm deathbed sick, I'll make myself some tea or whatever, which would count as meal preparation.

Speaking of which, that 25.7% number for food and drink preparation is just weird. Again, I'm guessing the .7% guy made himself some toast or something, which is cool, but as for the 74.3% of people who didn't prepare food, how did you eat? The fact that 25.7% of us prepared food for the 95.6% of us who ate means one of two things:

1. Womens Lib is dead and polygamy is alive and well. (Think about it for a second and write me if you don't get it) But if this polygamy theory is correct, that would mean those sex numbers are way off.
   
2. Most of us just dropped our fat asses in our "cars, trucks, or motorcycles" and went out to eat.

This, in turn, further explains our rising obesity epidemic because I seriously doubt 95.6% of us ordered the Cobb Salad and an iced tea at Bob's Big Boy. Except maybe that .6% guy, so good for him. Well played, my friend.