Physical Activity in U.S. 2-11 Year Olds

Using R with NHANES

Author

Cubicle 3253

Introduction

For the 2009-2010 survey, NHANES added a question about the number of days in a week respondents, 2 to 11 years of age, were physically active for at least 60 minutes. The question was asked by proxy and was “During the past 7 days, on how many days was {child’s name} physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day? Add up all the time they spent in any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time.”

This document examines physical activity, in children 2 to 11 years of age, using the NHANES 2009-2010 through August 2021-August 2023 surveys.

Overall

Days Physically Active at least 60 Minutes by Survey Cycle
Data Table
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 7.0% 7.7% 9.1% 76.3%
2011-2012 5.1% 7.2% 10.9% 76.8%
2013-2014 6.8% 9.5% 13.4% 70.4%
2015-2016 9.4% 12.0% 18.1% 60.5%
2017-March 2020 10.6% 14.5% 23.2% 51.6%
August 2021-August 2023 10.2% 14.3% 26.5% 49.0%
Prevalence Ratios


Prevalence ratios for being physically active for 7 days.

Prevalence Ratio (95% CI)
Survey Period
2009-2010 Ref.
2011-2012 1.01 (0.94, 1.08)
2013-2014 0.92 (0.85, 1.00)
2015-2016 0.79 (0.73, 0.86)
2017-March 2020 0.68 (0.61, 0.75)
August 2021-August 2023 0.64 (0.60, 0.69)

By Sex

Days Physically Active at least 60 Minutes by Sex & Survey Cycle
Percent
Data Table
Boys
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 5.9% 8.0% 8.6% 77.5%
2011-2012 4.9% 5.0% 10.7% 79.5%
2013-2014 6.4% 7.9% 11.5% 74.2%
2015-2016 7.7% 12.1% 16.5% 63.7%
2017-March 2020 10.1% 13.0% 22.8% 54.1%
August 2021-August 2023 9.9% 13.5% 25.3% 51.3%
Girls
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 8.1% 7.4% 9.5% 75.0%
2011-2012 5.3% 9.6% 11.1% 74.0%
2013-2014 7.2% 11.0% 15.3% 66.4%
2015-2016 11.2% 11.8% 19.8% 57.1%
2017-March 2020 11.2% 16.2% 23.5% 49.1%
August 2021-August 2023 10.4% 15.2% 27.8% 46.6%
Prevalence Ratios


Prevalence ratios for being physically active for 7 days.

Prevalence Ratio (95% CI)
Survey Period
2009-2010 Ref.
2011-2012 1.01 (0.94, 1.08)
2013-2014 0.92 (0.85, 1.00)
2015-2016 0.79 (0.73, 0.86)
2017-March 2020 0.68 (0.61, 0.75)
August 2021-August 2023 0.64 (0.60, 0.69)
Sex
Boys Ref.
Girls 0.92 (0.89, 0.95)

By Age Group

Days Physically Active at least 60 Minutes by Age Group & Survey Cycle
Percent
Data Table
2 to 5 Years of Age
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 5.0% 4.3% 6.3% 84.4%
2011-2012 4.2% 5.1% 7.3% 83.4%
2013-2014 4.5% 7.2% 8.8% 79.5%
2015-2016 8.3% 8.5% 14.1% 69.1%
2017-March 2020 8.6% 10.6% 16.1% 64.7%
August 2021-August 2023 8.4% 11.1% 22.2% 58.3%
6 to 11 Years of Age
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 8.4% 10.0% 11.0% 70.6%
2011-2012 5.7% 8.7% 13.4% 72.2%
2013-2014 8.3% 11.0% 16.4% 64.3%
2015-2016 10.1% 14.2% 20.7% 55.0%
2017-March 2020 11.9% 17.1% 27.8% 43.1%
August 2021-August 2023 11.3% 16.3% 29.3% 43.1%
Prevalence Ratios


Prevalence ratios for being physically active for 7 days.

Prevalence Ratio (95% CI)
Survey Period
2009-2010 Ref.
2011-2012 1.01 (0.94, 1.08)
2013-2014 0.93 (0.86, 1.00)
2015-2016 0.80 (0.74, 0.86)
2017-March 2020 0.68 (0.62, 0.75)
August 2021-August 2023 0.65 (0.60, 0.69)
Age Group
2 to 5 Years Ref.
6 to 11 Years 0.79 (0.77, 0.82)

By Family Income Level

Days Physically Active at least 60 Minutes by Family Income Level & Survey Cycle
Percent
Data Table
Family Income Level: Less than 130%
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 8.7% 5.1% 6.4% 79.8%
2011-2012 5.8% 5.7% 5.8% 82.6%
2013-2014 6.8% 5.3% 7.6% 80.3%
2015-2016 12.4% 10.6% 11.5% 65.5%
2017-March 2020 14.7% 14.3% 16.8% 54.2%
August 2021-August 2023 18.0% 13.7% 20.2% 48.1%
Family Income Level: 130% to 349%
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 6.9% 9.5% 8.5% 75.1%
2011-2012 4.1% 8.9% 14.8% 72.2%
2013-2014 8.4% 12.0% 18.0% 61.6%
2015-2016 8.5% 13.8% 21.4% 56.4%
2017-March 2020 10.0% 14.5% 23.8% 51.7%
August 2021-August 2023 9.0% 14.0% 26.8% 50.2%
Family Income Level: 350% or more
Survey Period
Days Physically Active At Least 60 Minutes
0 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6 7
2009-2010 4.5% 9.7% 14.5% 71.3%
2011-2012 5.0% 8.4% 14.2% 72.3%
2013-2014 5.6% 14.2% 17.5% 62.7%
2015-2016 6.1% 10.3% 23.0% 60.5%
2017-March 2020 5.3% 16.4% 29.6% 48.6%
August 2021-August 2023 5.9% 14.6% 34.7% 44.8%
Prevalence Ratios


Prevalence ratios for being physically active for 7 days.

Prevalence Ratio (95% CI)
Survey Period
2009-2010 Ref.
2011-2012 1.00 (0.94, 1.07)
2013-2014 0.91 (0.84, 0.99)
2015-2016 0.80 (0.74, 0.87)
2017-March 2020 0.68 (0.62, 0.76)
August 2021-August 2023 0.64 (0.58, 0.70)
Family Income Level
Less than 130% Ref.
130% to 349% 0.89 (0.85, 0.93)
350% or more 0.87 (0.83, 0.91)

Final Model

Prevalence ratios for being physically active for 7 days.

Prevalence Ratio (95% CI)
Survey Period
2009-2010 Ref.
2011-2012 1.00 (0.93, 1.08)
2013-2014 0.91 (0.84, 0.99)
2015-2016 0.80 (0.74, 0.87)
2017-March 2020 0.68 (0.62, 0.76)
August 2021-August 2023 0.64 (0.58, 0.70)
Sex
Boys Ref.
Girls 0.91 (0.89, 0.94)
Age Group
2 to 5 Years Ref.
6 to 11 Years 0.80 (0.77, 0.82)
Family Income Level
Less than 130% Ref.
130% to 349% 0.90 (0.86, 0.94)
350% or more 0.88 (0.84, 0.93)