OMAHA, Neb. - Montana is one of only 22 states and the District of Columbia that is meeting the government's goal of getting at least 50 percent of adults participating in some physical activity each week, a new federal survey shows.

Montana had the highest rate of activity that year at 58.6 percent in 2003, the latest year for which results were available, while Kentucky had the lowest at 33.7 percent, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nebraska had the highest increase _ improving from 34.2 percent in 2001 to 44.5 percent in 2003, the study found.

The nationwide rate of participation in physical activities rose only slightly, from 45.3 percent to 45.9 percent from 2001 through 2003.

That means the majority of American adults _ 54.1 percent _ didn't meet the goal of performing moderate activity, such as brisk walking or gardening, for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, or more intense activity, such as running or heavy yard work, for 20 minutes a day, three times a week.

The government's Healthy People initiative calls for at least half of adults to become active by 2010. The effort also aims to increase life expectancy and quality of life and eliminate disparities among different segments of the population.

In its report, the CDC, based in Atlanta, called for more efforts to be made at all levels, from federal to local, to increase physical activity.

Four states and territories had significant decreases in the percentage of adults who reported themselves as active, with Puerto Rico having the largest drop, going from 43.5 percent to 34.5 percent, a decrease of 20.8 percent.

Nebraska was a leader among the 32 states and territories that decreased their percentage of adults considered inactive, meaning they do not participate in at least 10 minutes of activity at any point during the week. The state nearly halved its rate of inactivity to 13.9 percent from 26.7 percent. Nationally, the percentage of inactive adults decreased slightly, to 15.6 percent from 16 percent.

Puerto Rico had the highest proportion of adults considered inactive, 33.9 percent, up from 24.1 percent in 2001. It also had the largest change _ a 40.3 percent increase in adults not moving. Minnesota had the lowest rate of inactivity, 7.7 percent in 2003.

Americans are realizing the value of exercise, said Tonya Vyhlidal. She is wellness manager at Lincoln Plating, a metals plating company in Lincoln, where employees have been taking part in wellness counseling, screenings and seminars for decades. She estimates that between 80 and 85 percent of her employees participate in wellness activities at work _ and that rate has grown by 15 to 20 percent just this year.

Realizing how wellness affects the work force, the company requires its 450 employees to meet quarterly with counselors for fitness testing, such as blood pressure, and to discuss their fitness goals.

"When they're at work, they're actually engaged in their work and activities," Vyhlidal said. "There's a sense of each other and what the needs are, and they really feel they have a source of someone they can come to."

Nebraskans overwhelmingly responded to a recent call to pledge fitness in the national America On the Move initiative, organized by a foundation of the same name. Nebraska ranked atop in per-capita pledges for the second annual Day of Action, which asked people to commit to taking an extra 2,000 steps _ or perform a similar activity _ and eat 100 fewer calories each day.

Some people cite time constraints and their environments as limiting their ability to lead healthy lifestyles, said Jacqueline Kral, manager of development and education for America On the Move. That's why getting people to commit to the two changes is a good starting point, she said.

"We find this approach gives people the confidence and sense of accomplishment they need to make a change in their lifestyle while allowing them to see that just two small changes can result in big rewards," Kral said.