Washington residents exercise more than U.S. average, study finds

At least four in 10 Washington residents aren't getting the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of exercise a week, new data shows — yet we're still more active than the U.S. as a whole.

Why it matters: Physical activity improves sleep, lowers anxiety and can reduce the risk of several types of disease, among other benefits, per the CDC .

The latest: New data from Apple and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital indicates that nearly 60% of Washingtonians aren't logging the 150 weekly minutes of aerobic activity that the CDC recommends .

• That's true even among Washington residents who track their fitness data with an Apple Watch — presumably a particularly health-conscious bunch, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum writes .

Zoom out: Nationwide, the study found that 54% of people got the recommended amount of weekly cardio exercise.

• Among participants in the study, the states with the highest percentage of people getting 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise were Massachusetts (67.2%), New York (66%) and Connecticut (64.1%), followed by California (62.3%).
• Mississippi (38.5%), Louisiana (41.3%), Oklahoma (41.4%) and West Virginia (41.7%) were the states with the lowest proportion.

The fine print: You can hit the recommended weekly number with five 30-minute brisk walks a week.

• The CDC also recommends two additional days of muscle-strengthening activity.

Go deeper: Low-impact exercise is taking off

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