Sixty-two percent of adults say they walked for at least once for 10 minutes or more in the previous week in 2010, compared to 56 percent in 2005, that according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, less than half (48 percent) of all adults get enough physical activity to improve their health, according to data from the National Health Interview Survey.

I know I’ve been trying to walk the dogs — Jake and Buddy — more, although at 5:30 or 6 a.m. I’m not that interested, but I know I need the walk, and so do they. And if I sleep late, my wife normally lets them come upstairs and beg by the bed until I get up!

For substantial health benefits, the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 2½ hours per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as brisk walking, which should be done for at least 10 minutes at a time.

The Vital Signs report notes that increases in walking were seen in nearly all groups surveyed. Walkers were defined as those who walked for at least one session of 10 minutes or more for transportation, fun or exercise.

To learn more about physical activity guidelines and ways to get active, visit www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity.

Vital Signs is a CDC report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.