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Step Counts and Stepping Intensity among U.S. Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014
Alaina H Shreves1, Ben Maylor2,3, Eric T Hyde1
1Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|April 20, 2026
Summary
Nearly half of U.S. adults meet daily step goals for reduced mortality risk. Physical activity levels vary significantly by age, sex, and ethnicity, highlighting opportunities for targeted health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Physical Activity Research
Background:
- Step counts are a key indicator of physical activity, linked to reduced mortality and chronic disease risk.
- Nationally representative data on stepping patterns across diverse U.S. demographics are limited.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for public health surveillance and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze daily step counts and cadence in a representative sample of U.S. adults.
- To characterize stepping behaviors by age, sex, and race/ethnicity.
- To assess the prevalence of meeting mortality-reducing step count thresholds.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of accelerometer data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014.
- Inclusion of U.S. adults aged 20 years and older (N=8,762).
- Utilized the OxWearables algorithm to derive stepping metrics and compared to established mortality-risk thresholds.
Main Results:
- Average daily steps were 8,818, with significant variations across demographic groups.
- Males and Hispanic adults reported higher step counts compared to females and other racial/ethnic groups.
- 48.6% of adults <60 and 44.8% of adults ≥60 met recommended step goals.
Conclusions:
- A substantial portion of U.S. adults achieve step counts associated with lower mortality.
- Significant disparities in physical activity exist across age, sex, and racial/ethnic groups.
- Findings provide benchmarks for surveillance and inform strategies to promote stepping and physical activity.
