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Updated: May 25, 2026

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Differences in amounts and types of physical activity by obesity status in US adults
Colleen K Spees1, Jonathan M Scott, Christopher A Taylor
1Health Sciences and Medical Dietetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Objectives:
To describe the physical activity patterns across levels of obesity among US adults.
Methods:
The frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activities were compared across obesity status in 7695 adults from NHANES, 1999-2006.
Results:
Significantly more normal-weight adults engaged in moderate- and vigorous- intensity activities and for a longer duration than did their overweight or obese counterparts. Lower intensity, longer duration walking contributed to nearly half of all moderate activity among obese subjects.
Conclusions:
Significant differences exist in intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity by weight status. This information suggests a targeted approach to current physical activity interventions be explored.
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