If you’re concerned about the health of your fellow Americans, you should be. A recently released CDC report reveals that 80 percent of us aren’t meeting the federal government’s physical activity guidelines. CDC researchers reached this conclusion after examining responses provided by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual phone survey of U.S. adults.

The government’s physical activity guidelines recommend that Americans get at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. In addition to various types of aerobic activity, the guidelines recommend that Americans do two or more days per week of muscle-strengthening activities.

According to the report, approximately 50 percent of Americans are getting the suggested amounts of aerobic activity and about 30 percent are getting the  recommended amount of muscle-strengthening activity.

Carmen D. Harris, an epidemiologist in the CDC’s physical activity and health branch, isn’t discouraged by the results. While there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to make Americans healthier, Harris says that the effort to meet the federal government’s aerobic activity guidelines “is encouraging.” She believes, however, that more needs to be done to give people “access to safe and convenient places” to exercise.

The report also shows that some states’ residents are having more trouble meeting the government’s exercise guidelines than others. Only 13 percent of adults in Tennessee and West Virginia met the guidelines, compared to 27 percent in Colorado.

Obesity is a serious problem in the United States. According to the CDC, more than 33 percent of U.S. adults are obese. Not only are obesity-related conditions some of the leading causes of preventable death, but the medical costs associated with obesity in 2008 totaled more than $145 billion.

How can Americans win the fight against obesity? Sound off in the comments section.