The physical activity questionnaire (variable name prefix PAQ) is based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and includes questions related to daily activities, leisure time activities, and sedentary activities. Additional information about the GPAQ can be obtained at the World Health Organization website.
All survey participants aged 2 years and older were eligible. Proxy respondents answered the questions for participants aged 2-11 years. The questions asked varied by age group. The target group in the codebook indicates which age groups were asked which questions
For participants aged 2 to 11 years and 16 years and older, the questions were asked before the physical examination in the home using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) (interviewer administered) system.
For participants aged 12 to 15 years, the questions were asked at the mobile examination center (MEC), by trained interviewers, using the CAPI system as part of the MEC interview.
Limited editing was done on the data. Participants who reported an average of 24 hours or more per day of activity had their time variables (PAD615, PAD630, PAD645, PAD660, PAD675, PAD680) set to missing. Users should carefully inspect the data for other values they may consider too high.
Since the PAQ questions for participants aged 2 to 11 years and 16 years and older were asked in the household interview, the interview sample weights should be used in their analysis. However, if the data is joined with data from the MEC, the MEC sample weights should be used. Analysis of the PAQ questions for participants aged 12 to 15 years should use the MEC sample weights as the questions were asked in the MEC.
Suggested metabolic equivalent (MET) scores for the activities listed in this file are included in Appendix 1.
Midway through the 2011-2012 survey cycle an additional probe was added to the question on sedentary behavior (PAD680) querying times less than 8 hours. This additional probe may partially explain any observed differences in sedentary behavior between the current data and previous survey cycles. There are also instances in which participants reported less sedentary time in a typical day (PAD680) than the amount of time they reported watching TV over the past 30 days (PAQ710).
Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues. A list of variable names by survey period is presented in Appendix 2.
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 to 7 | Range of Values | 2299 | 2299 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 2299 | |
99 | Don't know | 1 | 2300 | |
. | Missing | 6807 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | 947 | 947 | |
2 | No | 5830 | 6777 | PAQ620 |
7 | Refused | 1 | 6778 | PAQ620 |
9 | Don't know | 1 | 6779 | PAQ620 |
. | Missing | 2328 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 to 7 | Range of Values | 947 | 947 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 947 | PAQ620 |
99 | Don't know | 0 | 947 | PAQ620 |
. | Missing | 8160 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 to 780 | Range of Values | 941 | 941 | |
7777 | Refused | 0 | 941 | |
9999 | Don't know | 2 | 943 | |
. | Missing | 8164 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | 2065 | 2065 | |
2 | No | 4712 | 6777 | PAQ635 |
7 | Refused | 1 | 6778 | PAQ635 |
9 | Don't know | 1 | 6779 | PAQ635 |
. | Missing | 2328 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 to 7 | Range of Values | 2063 | 2063 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 2063 | PAQ635 |
99 | Don't know | 2 | 2065 | PAQ635 |
. | Missing | 7042 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 to 960 | Range of Values | 2054 | 2054 | |
7777 | Refused | 0 | 2054 | |
9999 | Don't know | 5 | 2059 | |
. | Missing | 7048 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | 2344 | 2344 | |
2 | No | 4434 | 6778 | PAQ650 |
7 | Refused | 1 | 6779 | PAQ650 |
9 | Don't know | 0 | 6779 | PAQ650 |
. | Missing | 2328 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 to 7 | Range of Values | 2343 | 2343 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 2343 | PAQ650 |
99 | Don't know | 1 | 2344 | PAQ650 |
. | Missing | 6763 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 to 720 | Range of Values | 2336 | 2336 | |
7777 | Refused | 0 | 2336 | |
9999 | Don't know | 4 | 2340 | |
. | Missing | 6767 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | 1909 | 1909 | |
2 | No | 4868 | 6777 | PAQ665 |
7 | Refused | 1 | 6778 | PAQ665 |
9 | Don't know | 1 | 6779 | PAQ665 |
. | Missing | 2328 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 to 7 | Range of Values | 1909 | 1909 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 1909 | PAQ665 |
99 | DON'T KNOW | 0 | 1909 | PAQ665 |
. | Missing | 7198 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 to 720 | Range of Values | 1906 | 1906 | |
7777 | Refused | 0 | 1906 | |
9999 | Don't know | 0 | 1906 | |
. | Missing | 7201 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yes | 2892 | 2892 | |
2 | No | 3886 | 6778 | PAD680 |
7 | Refused | 1 | 6779 | PAD680 |
9 | Don't know | 0 | 6779 | PAD680 |
. | Missing | 2328 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 to 7 | Range of Values | 2891 | 2891 | |
77 | Refused | 0 | 2891 | PAD680 |
99 | Don't know | 1 | 2892 | PAD680 |
. | Missing | 6215 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 to 600 | Range of Values | 2887 | 2887 | |
7777 | Refused | 0 | 2887 | |
9999 | Don't know | 0 | 2887 | |
. | Missing | 6220 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 to 1380 | Range of Values | 6742 | 6742 | |
7777 | Refused | 1 | 6743 | |
9999 | Don't know | 30 | 6773 | |
. | Missing | 2334 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 | Less than 1 hour, | 1175 | 1175 | |
1 | 1 hour, | 1616 | 2791 | |
2 | 2 hours, | 2389 | 5180 | |
3 | 3 hours, | 1533 | 6713 | |
4 | 4 hours, | 884 | 7597 | |
5 | 5 hours or more, or | 1275 | 8872 | |
8 | {You do/SP does} not watch TV or videos | 193 | 9065 | |
77 | REFUSED | 1 | 9066 | |
99 | DON'T KNOW | 12 | 9078 | |
. | Missing | 29 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 | Less than 1 hour, | 2354 | 2354 | |
1 | 1 hour, | 1646 | 4000 | |
2 | 2 hours, | 1129 | 5129 | |
3 | 3 hours, | 562 | 5691 | |
4 | 4 hours, | 289 | 5980 | |
5 | 5 hours or more, or | 508 | 6488 | |
8 | {You do/SP does} not use a computer outside of work or school | 2586 | 9074 | |
77 | REFUSED | 1 | 9075 | |
99 | DON'T KNOW | 3 | 9078 | |
. | Missing | 29 | 9107 |
Code or Value | Value Description | Count | Cumulative | Skip to Item |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sample Person Interview Questionnaire Targets (B(2-11) and (B(16-150)) | 8477 | 8477 | |
2 | MEC CAPI Questionnaire Targets (B(12-15)) | 630 | 9107 | |
. | Missing | 0 | 9107 |
Variable | Label | Score |
---|---|---|
PAD605 | Vigorous work-related activity | 8.0 |
PAD630 | Moderate work-related activity | 4.0 |
PAD645 | Walking or bicycling for transportation | 4.0 |
PAD660 | Vigorous leisure-time physical activity | 8.0 |
PAD675 | Moderate leisure-time physical activity | 4.0 |
1999-2000 | 2001-2002 | 2003-2004 | 2005-2006 | 2007-2008 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAD020 | PAD020 | PAD020 | PAD020 | Walked or bicycled over past 30 days | |||
PAQ050Q | PAQ050Q | PAQ050Q | PAQ050Q | # times walked or bicycled | |||
PAQ050U | PAQ050U | PAQ050U | PAQ050U | Unit of measure (day/week/month) | |||
PAD080 | PAD080 | PAD080 | PAD080 | How long per day (minutes) | |||
PAQ100 | PAQ100 | PAQ100 | PAQ100 | Tasks around home/yard past 30 days | |||
PAD120 | PAD120 | PAD120 | PAD120 | # of times past 30 days | |||
PAD160 | PAD160 | PAD160 | PAD160 | How long each time (minutes) | |||
PAQ180 | PAQ180 | PAQ180 | PAQ180 | Avg level of physical activity each day | |||
PAD200 | PAD200 | PAD200 | PAD200 | Vigorous activity over past 30 days | |||
PAD320 | PAD320 | PAD320 | PAD320 | Moderate activity over past 30 days | |||
PAD440 | PAD440 | PAD440 | PAD440 | Muscle strengthening activities | |||
PAD460 | PAD460 | PAD460 | PAD460 | Number of times past 30 days | |||
PAD480 | Daily hours of TV, video or computer use | ||||||
PAQ480 | Daily hours of TV, video or computer use | ||||||
PAQ500 | PAQ500 | PAQ500 | PAQ500 | Activity comparison last mo - last yr | |||
PAQ520 | PAQ520 | PAQ520 | PAQ520 | Compare activity w/others same age | |||
PAQ540 | PAQ540 | PAQ540 | PAQ540 | Compare activity with 10 years ago | |||
PAQ560 | PAQ560 | PAQ560 | PAQ560 | PAQ560 | Times per week play or exercise hard | ||
PAD570 | # of hours watch TV or videos yesterday | ||||||
PAQ580 | # hours use computer/games yesterday | ||||||
PAD590 | PAD590 | PAD590 | PAD590 | PAD590 | Hours watch TV or videos past 30 days | ||
PAD600 | PAD600 | PAD600 | PAD600 | PAD600 | Hours use computer past 30 days | ||
PAQ605 | PAQ605 | PAQ605 | Vigorous work activity | ||||
PAQ610 | PAQ610 | PAQ610 | Days vigorous work | ||||
PAD615 | PAD615 | PAD615 | Minutes vigorous-intensity work | ||||
PAQ620 | PAQ620 | PAQ620 | Moderate work activity | ||||
PAQ625 | PAQ625 | PAQ625 | Number of days moderate work | ||||
PAD630 | PAD630 | PAD630 | Minutes moderate-intensity work | ||||
PAQ635 | PAQ635 | PAQ635 | Walk or bicycle | ||||
PAQ640 | PAQ640 | PAQ640 | Number of days walk or bicycle | ||||
PAD645 | PAD645 | PAD645 | Minutes walk/bicycle for transportation | ||||
PAQ650 | PAQ650 | PAQ650 | Vigorous recreational activities | ||||
PAQ655 | PAQ655 | PAQ655 | Days vigorous recreational activities | ||||
PAD660 | PAD660 | PAD660 | Minutes vigorous recreational activities | ||||
PAQ665 | PAQ665 | PAQ665 | Moderate recreational activities | ||||
PAQ670 | PAQ670 | PAQ670 | Days moderate recreational activities | ||||
PAD675 | PAD675 | PAD675 | Minutes moderate recreational activities | ||||
PAD680 | PAD680 | PAD680 | Minutes sedentary activity | ||||
PAQ706 | PAQ706 | Days physically active at least 60 min | |||||
PAQ710 | Hours watch TV or videos past 30 days | ||||||
PAQ715 | Hours use computer past 30 days | ||||||
PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | PAAQUEX | Questionnaire source flag for weighting |