Gen Nexters Stay Fit

Gen Nexters are an active bunch; fully 81% say they exercise on at least a weekly basis in a new Pew survey of Americans ages 18-25. Young men are somewhat more likely than young women to exercise (85% vs. 78%). Among all Gen Nexters, 20% say they are in excellent physical condition, and another 56% say they are in good condition. Not surprisingly, Gen Next and Gen X view themselves as more physically fit than do Boomers or Seniors. However, the older generations are just as likely as the younger ones to say they do some type of exercise program that helps them keep physically fit.In their free time, Gen Nexters also engage in some activities that are not necessarily good for their health. About four-in-ten (41%) say they consumed alcohol in the past seven days; 31% smoked cigarettes; and 9% say they took illegal drugs. Young men are bigger drinkers and smokers than young women — 48% of men in this age group drank alcohol in the past seven days, compared with 34% of young women; 37% of the men and 25% of the women say they smoked cigarettes in the past week. Read More