Americans typically exercise more in the spring and summer and less in the fall and winter. Frequent exercise usually drops to its lowest point in December of each year and beings to improve again in January.

The percentage of Americans reporting that they exercise frequently was relatively low through the fall of 2008 and much of 2009, amid the worst of the economic crisis. However, the percentage who reported frequent physical activity was generally higher in 2010 and has since remained at somewhat higher levels. The average percentage of Americans who exercised frequently was 51.5% in 2010, 49.6% in 2009, and 51.4% in 2008.

Gallup and Healthways ask 1,000 American adults daily about their exercise habits as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index also measures Americans' daily eating habits and finds a similar seasonal pattern.

The percentage of Americans reporting that they frequently eat fruits and vegetables, or five or more servings at least four days per week, was 54.7% in November, compared with 55.2% in October -- down from a high of 57.8% in July.

In November, the percentage of Americans who reported eating fruits and vegetables frequently was the lowest recorded for that month in any prior year, including in November 2008 during the financial crisis. In fact, fewer Americans consumed fruits and vegetables frequently in every month but one this year compared with last year.

A separate question which asks Americans if they ate healthy all day "yesterday" also follows a similar seasonal trend and is down in November compared with the spring and summer months. Like produce consumption, the percentage of Americans reporting they ate healthy the entire day prior to the survey is down compared with 2010 and 2009.

Concurrently with people consuming less produce and eating less healthy in 2011, more Americans are struggling to afford food. This could be the result of Americans cutting back on healthier food items, such as fresh produce, that can be more expensive. Gallup reported that the percentage of Americans who lacked money to buy food had been declining since April. In October, that percentage fell to a level close to the November 2008 record low. Additionally, Gallup's global polling has found more Americans are now struggling to afford food than are Chinese, a change from 2008 when the opposite was true.

Bottom Line

Each fall and winter, Americans' exercise and eating habits start to go downhill and decline to their lowest levels for the year every December. The percentage of Americans who exercise and consume fruits and vegetables frequently falls about five percentage points every December from the highs Gallup finds each July and August. These decreases translate to millions fewer Americans getting the exercise and healthy foods they need for several months each year. Many factors may be contributing to this seasonal trend such as increasing difficulty exercising outside during the colder winter months and decreasing access to fresh produce available in stores.

However, for a country already grappling with high levels of obesity and chronic disease, improving good health habits year round is a critical challenge. In particular, with an increasing number of Americans struggling to afford food, government and business leaders may need to work to improve access to grocery items such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

About the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index tracks well-being in the U.S., U.K., and Germany and provides best-in-class solutions for a healthier world. To learn more, please visit well-beingindex.com.