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Table 3 Activities accounting for 90% of energy expenditure in the United States for males and females1.

From: Activities Contributing to Total Energy Expenditure in the United States: Results from the NHAPS Study

Male Female
Rank Activity Description Rank Activity Description
1 Job: Office work, typing 1 Driving car
2 Driving car 2 Taking care of child/baby (feeding, bathing"center"230;)
3 Watching TV/movie, home or theater 3 Watching TV/movie, home or theater
4 Taking care of child/baby (feeding, bathing...) 4 Job: Office work, typing
5 Job: Industrial plant/factory 5 Cleaning house, general
6 Job: Construction site 6 Activities performed while sitting
7 Activities performed while sitting 7 Eating (sitting)
8 Eating (sitting) 8 Food preparation (cooking, baking...)
9 Yardwork-general: mowing lawn, trim 9 Talking/ Visiting, in person or on phone
10 Talking/ Visiting, in person or on phone 10 Job: Light intensity, stand/walking
11 Job: Farm hand 11 Shopping for non-foods (e.g. clothing)
12 Attending event (social) involving talking 12 Attending event (social) involving talking
13 Job: Store clerk, bartender, hair stylist 13 Laundry
14 Job: Light intensity, stand/walking 14 Job: Industrial plant/factory
15 Cleaning house, general 15 Job: Store clerk, bartender, hair stylist
16 Fishing and Hunting 16 Job: Restaurant staff (e.g. waiter, chef)
17 Shopping for non-foods (e.g. clothing) 17 Yardwork-general: mowing lawn...
18 Job: Mechanic 18 Job: Teaching class
19 Food preparation (cooking, baking...) 19 Cleaning kitchen (sweeping)
20 Job: Restaurant staff (e.g. waiter, chef) 20 Shopping for food, putting groceries away
21 Job: Driving (e.g. truck driver, bus driver...) 21 Walking, moderately, (e.g. doing errands...)
22 Remodeling, repairing house, workshop 22 Swimming, exercise
23 Walking, moderately, (e.g. doing errands...) 23 Home projects (sewing, wrapping presents...)2
24 Sports: Golf2 24 Gardening: Weeding, landscaping...
25 Dancing/ Heavy Partying (all styles) 25 Moving, packing items2
26 Job: Teaching class   
27 Car maintenance, repair2   
28 Gardening: Weeding, landscaping...   
29 Swimming, exercise   
30 Exercise, aerobics   
31 Yardwork-hard: chopping firewood, digging...2   
  1. 1National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS). Exclusive of sleeping/napping 2Activities that were not present on list for entire sample
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International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

ISSN: 1479-5868

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