NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Physical Activity in U.S. Youth Aged 12–15 Years, 2012

Tala H.I. Fakhouri, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Jeffery P. Hughes, M.P.H.; Vicki L. Burt, Sc.M., R.N.; 

MinKyoung Song, Ph.D., R.N.; Janet E. Fulton, Ph.D.; and Cynthia L. Ogden Ph.D., M.R.P.

Key findings

Data from the combined 

National Health and 

Nutrition Examination 

Survey (NHANES) and the 

NHANES National Youth 

Fitness Survey, 2012

• In 2012, about one-quarter 

of U.S. youth aged 12–15 

years engaged in moderate-tovigorous physical activity for at 

least 60 minutes daily.

• Basketball was the most 

common activity reported 

among active boys, followed by 

running, football, bike riding, 

and walking.

• Running was the most 

common activity among active 

girls, followed by walking, 

basketball, dancing, and bike 

riding.

• The percentage of male 

youth who were physically 

active for at least 60 minutes 

daily decreased as weight status 

increased.

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which have been 

adopted by the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative and the American Academy 

of Pediatrics, recommend that youth participate in daily moderate-to-vigorous 

physical activity for at least 60 minutes (1–5). This report presents the most 

recent national data from 2012 on self-reported physical activity among youth 

aged 12–15 years, by sex and weight status. This report also describes the 

most common types of physical activities—outside of school-based physical 

education (PE) or gym classes—in which youth engage.

Keywords: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey • NHANES 

National Youth Fitness Survey

What percentage of youth engaged in moderate-to-vigorous 

physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day?

About one-quarter (24.8%) of youth engaged in moderate-to-vigorous 

physical activity, including activities both in school and outside of school, 

for at least 60 minutes daily (data not shown in figure). Only 7.6% did not 

Figure 1. Percentage of youth who were physically active, by number of days per week and sex: 

United States, 2012

* Does not meet standard of statistical reliability and precision (relative standard error of 30% but <40%).

NOTES: Physically active is defined as engaging in any kind of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, including activities both in 

school and outside of school, that increased heart rate and made breathing harder some of the time for at least 60 minutes. 

Weighted percentages are shown. Access data table for Figure 1 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db141_table.pdf#1.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Youth Fitness Survey, 2012. Percent

0

6.4 8.7

*2.8 4.7

9.9 10.7 12.1

15.8

8.5 10.7

21.9 20.5

11.3

6.4

27.0

22.5

1 2 3

Days per week

4 5 6 7

0

10

20

30

40

50 Boys Girls
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

■  2  ■

engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes on any day of the week (data 

not shown in figure). Among boys, 27.0% engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for 

at least 60 minutes daily compared with 22.5% of girls (Figure 1). More than one-half (60.2%) 

of boys surveyed and about one-half (49.4%) of girls engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical 

activity for at least 60 minutes on 5 days or more each week. Among boys, 6.4% did not engage 

in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on any day of the week compared with 8.7% of girls. 

Differences between boys and girls were not statistically significant.

Outside of school-based PE and gym classes, what were the most common 

types of activities reported by boys?

Among boys who reported physical activity of any intensity in the past week, the most common 

activity was basketball, with about one-half (48.0%) of all active boys reporting that they played 

basketball (Figure 2). The second most common activity among physically active boys was 

running (33.5%), followed by football (27.4%). 

NOTES: Based on any physical activity, regardless of intensity, reported in the past week. More than one activity could be reported. Access data table for Figure 2 

at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db141_table.pdf#2.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Youth Fitness Survey, 2012.

Figure 2. The top five activities outside of school-based physical education and gym classes reported among boys aged 

12–15 years: United States, 2012 Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Basketball Running Football Bike riding Walking

48.0

33.5

27.4

24.0 23.6
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

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Outside of school-based PE and gym classes, what were the most common 

types of activities reported by girls?

Among girls who reported physical activity of any intensity in the past week, the most common 

activity was running, with about one-third (34.9%) reporting that they ran (Figure 3). The second 

most common activity reported by girls was walking, with 27.6% reporting that they walked, and 

the third most common activity was playing basketball (21.4%).

NOTES: Based on any physical activity, regardless of intensity, reported in the past week. More than one activity could be reported. Access data table for Figure 3 

at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db141_table.pdf#3.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Youth Fitness Survey, 2012.

Figure 3. The top five activities outside of school-based physical education and gym classes reported among girls aged 

12–15 years: United States, 2012 Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Running Walking Basketball Dancing Bike riding

34.9

27.6

21.4 20.8

18.4
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

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Did engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among youth differ 

by weight status?

Among boys, 29.5% of normal-weight and 29.5% of overweight individuals engaged in 

moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on every day of the week for at least 60 minutes compared 

with 18.0% of obese boys (Figure 4). A similar pattern was observed for girls; however, the 

differences were not significant. Among girls, 24.1% of normal-weight, 20.1% of overweight, and 

19.6% of obese individuals engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on every day of the 

week for at least 60 minutes.

1

Significant linear trend.

NOTES: Physically active is defined as engaging in any kind of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, including activities both in school and outside of school, that 

increased heart rate and made breathing harder some of the time for at least 60 minutes. Access data table for Figure 4 at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db141_table.pdf#4.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Youth Fitness Survey, 2012.

Figure 4. The percentage of youth who were physically active daily, by weight status and sex: United States, 2012 Percent

Normal-weight Overweight Obese

0

10

20

30

40

50

Boys Girls 1

29.5 29.5

18.0

24.1

20.1 19.6
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

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Summary

Regular physical activity among youth promotes physical and psychological health and improves 

some aspects of academic performance (1,6). In 2012, about one-quarter of U.S. youth aged 

12–15 years met federal physical activity guidelines of at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-tovigorous physical activity based on self-reports of the number of days on which they engaged 

in 60 minutes of activities that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of 

the time. U.S. youth engaged in a wide range of physical activities outside of school-based PE 

and gym classes, including basketball, football, running, and dancing. In fact, almost one-half of 

all U.S. boys aged 12–15 years who reported activities outside of gym classes reported playing 

basketball during the previous week.

Although not a statistically significant difference, 27.0% of boys and 22.5% of girls engaged in 

moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes or more on every day of the week in 2012. 

Most studies of physical activity in children and adolescents find boys to be more physically 

active than girls (7–11). 

Compared with normal-weight boys, a smaller percentage of obese boys were active on every 

day of the week for at least 60 minutes per day. Similarly, a smaller percentage of obese girls, 

compared with normal-weight girls, were active on every day of the week for at least 60 minutes 

per day; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Our findings are consistent with 

those from other nationally representative samples of school-aged children (7). The association 

between obesity and physical activity is complex. For example, childhood obesity has been 

partially attributed to physical inactivity (12), although some studies suggest that physical 

inactivity may be the result of obesity (13). 

Physical activity behaviors track from childhood into young adulthood (14–17). Given 

that physical inactivity in adulthood is a modifiable risk factor for many diseases, such as 

cardiovascular disease and cancer (1), tracking the prevalence of physical activity among U.S. 

youth may help inform public health interventions.

Definitions

Physical activity: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed by asking youth the 

following question: “During the past 7 days, on how many days were you physically active for a 

total of at least 60 minutes per day? Add up all the time you spent in any kind of physical activity 

that increased your heart rate and made you breathe hard some of the time.” Responses ranged 

from 0 to 7 days.

For the type of physical activity, regardless of intensity, respondents were first asked to report 

whether they participated in any physical activity in the past week other than PE or gym class. 

Specifically, respondents were asked, “For the next questions, think about the sports, lessons, or 

physical activities you may have done during the past 7 days. (Please do not include things you 

did during the school day like PE or gym class.) Did you do any physical activities during the 

past 7 days?” Respondents who answered “yes” to the question were then asked, using an openended question, to report the types of activities in which they participated. 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

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Weight status: Categories were based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

(CDC) sex-specific 2000 body mass index (BMI)-for-age growth charts for the United States 

(18). The three categories were underweight or normal-weight (a BMI-for-age less than the 85th 

percentile), overweight (a BMI-for-age ranging from the 85th to less than the 95th percentile), 

and obese (a BMI-for-age greater than or equal to the 95th percentile).

Data source and methods

These analyses used data from the combined 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination 

Survey (NHANES) and the 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS). CDC’s 

National Center for Health Statistics conducted NHANES and NNYFS in 2012. NHANES 

assesses the health and nutritional status of the entire civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. 

population. The 2012 NNYFS assessed the physical activity and fitness levels in children and 

adolescents aged 3–15 years to examine their health and fitness. The surveys included an in-home 

interview followed by a standardized physical examination in a mobile examination center. Both 

surveys collected physical activity data via questionnaire in children and adolescents aged 3–15 

years. Our analysis was restricted to youth aged 12–15 years for two reasons. First, physical 

activity guidelines for children aged 3–5 years are not well defined (19). Second, the surveys 

assessed physical activity differently for elementary school-aged children (aged 6–11 years).

Both NHANES and NNYFS used a complex, multistage probability sampling design to select 

participants. The NHANES sample design included oversampling to obtain reliable estimates 

of health and nutritional measures for population subgroups, but the NNYFS did not. Data were 

analyzed using special sample weights for the combined surveys to account for differential 

probabilities of selection, nonresponse, and noncoverage. The standard errors of the percentages 

were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method that incorporates the sample design. 

Differences between groups were evaluated using a t statistic at the p < 0.05 significance level 

with the appropriate degrees of freedom. All differences reported are statistically significant 

unless otherwise indicated. To test for linear trends between weight groups, the null hypothesis 

of a nonlinear trend was examined using orthogonal polynomials. Statistical analyses were 

conducted using the SAS System for Windows (release 9.3; SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, N.C.) and 

SUDAAN (release 11.0; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).

About the authors

Tala H.I. Fakhouri, Jeffery P. Hughes, Vicki L. Burt, and Cynthia L. Ogden are with CDC’s 

National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. 

MinKyoung Song and Janet E. Fulton are with CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease 

Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 141 ■ January 2014

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References

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Suggested citation

Fakhouri THI, Hughes JP, Burt VL, et al. 

Physical activity in U.S. youth aged 12–15 

years, 2012. NCHS data brief, no 141. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health 

Statistics. 2014.

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source, however, is appreciated.

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Statistics

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Director for Science

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