How people connect habits with long-term health
Core finding
This topic starts with how adults describe their health, then looks at what they believe shapes long-term well-being.
Personal health behaviors lead the list of perceived health drivers, while physical activity and clinician advice show how prevention enters ordinary routines.
Most adults describe their health positively
A 79.1% share rated their physical health as good, very good, or excellent.
Mental health ratings were similar, with 77.1% choosing good, very good, or excellent.
Personal behaviors lead the health drivers
A 54.7% majority selected personal health behaviors, including diet, exercise, sleep, substance use, and stress management, as the greatest influence on overall health and well-being.
That response puts habits ahead of financial stability, access to healthcare, social support, physical environment, and work conditions.
Stacked breakdown
54.7% say personal health behaviors have the greatest impact on well-being.
n = 1,000 · May 1–4, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Exercise shows the prevention gap
A 60.4% share said they already engage in regular physical activity, while others said they intend to start or do not plan to start soon.
A 23.7% share said a doctor or health professional told them in the past year to increase muscle-strengthening exercise to lower disease risk.
Stacked breakdown
60.4% say they already engage in regular physical activity.
n = 1,000 · May 1–4, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Stacked breakdown
23.7% were told to increase muscle-strengthening exercise.
n = 1,000 · May 1–4, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 1–4, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | 1 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
In general, would you say your physical health is:
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
In general, would you say your mental health is:
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
Which of the following do you believe has the greatest impact on your overall health and well-being?
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
Do you do engage in regular physical activity as described above?
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
During the past 7 days, on how many days were you physically active for at least 60 minutes per day?
- reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026
To lower your risk for certain diseases, during the last 12 months have you ever been told by a doctor or health professional to increase your muscle-strengthening exercise (e.g., resistance training, body weight exercise)?
Cite this topic
SBM Omnibus Survey #2026-049, fielded May 1-4, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.