Parents cite fitness barriers

A new national poll found that many parents say their 18- to 25-year-olds are not getting enough exercise, with screen time, lack of interest and limited time standing in the way. (mottpoll.org) The University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health surveyed a national sample of 1,550 parents in February 2026 about one of their children ages 18 to 25. Parents said 26% of those young adults were “very active,” 41% were “moderately active,” 28% were “minimally active” and 5% were “inactive.” (mottpoll.org) Parents most often said the biggest barriers were time, cited by 36%, followed by lack of interest at 23%, screen time or gaming at 17%, having no one to be active with at 13%, health-related limitations at 11% and cost at 10%. The same poll found parents were more likely to describe ages 18 to 20 as doing “active fun” or organized sports, while ages 21 to 25 were more likely to get activity through work. (mottpoll.org) The poll focused on young adults, a group that often loses the structure of school sports, gym classes and family routines after high school. Mott Poll co-director Susan Woolford, a pediatrician at Michigan Medicine, said physical activity often drops as people get older even though it affects overall health. (news-medical.net) Parents in the survey said the kinds of activity their children did most often were workouts with exercise equipment, reported by 43%, work-related activity at 41%, cardio exercise at 33%, outdoor activity at 31%, active fun at 17% and organized sports at 14%. That mix suggests exercise in early adulthood is often less tied to teams and more tied to jobs, gyms and individual routines. (mottpoll.org) Woolford said enjoyment is a key part of whether young adults keep moving. She said parents can help by encouraging activity that fits a child’s interests, whether that means walking with friends, recreational sports, dance, fitness classes or active jobs and chores. (mottpoll.org) The findings land after earlier Mott polling showed parents were already worried about technology and physical health in younger children. In an August 2025 Mott poll, parents ranked too much screen time and social media among their top health concerns for children, and 29% said they had questions about their own child’s nutrition or physical activity. (mottpoll.org) The latest poll does not measure the young adults directly; it measures what parents believe about their children’s habits. But it adds a detailed snapshot of how families see the shift from structured teen activity to adult routines, where interest and daily schedules appear to matter as much as access. (mottpoll.org)