Background/Purpose: Previous research has shown that cadence (steps/min) can be used to identify intensity of movement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine cadence patterns in free-living children and adolescents (6-19 years of age) using the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) accelerometer data.
Method: Participants with at least one valid day (i.e., ≥ 10/24 hours of wear time) were included in the analysis. Mean min/day and steps/day accumulated within incremental cadence bands (i.e., 0, 1-19, 20-39, to 120+ steps/min) during wearing time were calculated for the overall sample and by sex and by age group (6-11, 12-15, and 16-19 years).
Analysis/Results: The analysis sample included 2599 children and adolescents. Older children tended to spend more time inactive (at 0 steps/min; p < .001), take fewer steps and spend less time at lower cadences (< 80 steps/min; p < .001) and have higher numbers of steps and time spent at higher cadences (>80 steps/min) than younger children. Girls tended to spend more time inactive (p < .001) and showed similar or higher amounts of steps and time at 120+ steps/min than boys. Boys were more active (steps and time) than girls at all other cadence bands (p < .001).
Conclusions: This analysis of a representative sample of US children demonstrates age and sex differences in the level of physical activity accumulated in each cadence band. Detailed analysis of physical activity patterns such as this study may lead to interventions that target specific activity patterns.