CDC urges Americans to get moving, but there's no simple solution

More than one-fifth of Americans aren't active enough, data shows.

While the benefits of exercise are becoming increasingly well known, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that more than one-fifth of Americans remain physically inactive.

In the study, being physically inactive meant no physical activity at all over the past month -- anything from running to gardening.

"Getting enough physical activity could prevent 1 in 10 premature deaths," Dr. Ruth Peterson, director of CDC's Division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity, said in prepared remarks. "Too many people are missing out on the health benefits of physical activity such as improved sleep, reduced blood pressure and anxiety, lowered risk for heart disease, several cancers and dementia."

The CDC specifically warned about higher rates of inactivity in the South compared with the rest of the country. Meanwhile, more than 29% of Hispanic, African American and Native American adults were inactive compared to 23% of non-Hispanic white adults.