Actual Physical Activity Levels Research Articles

P35 Objective and subjective method of physical activity measurement in a cross-section of English adults: health survey for England 2008

ObjectiveTo describe and compare physical activity levels, sedentary and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behaviour in HSE2008 in a representative sample of the adult population, using both objective (accelerometry) and subjective...

Physical Activity in Preschoolers

Accurate physical activity quantification in preschoolers is essential to establish physical activity prevalence, dose-response relationships between activity and health outcomes, and intervention effectiveness. To date, best practice approaches for physical activity measurement in preschool-aged children have been relatively understudied. This article provides a review of physical activity measurement tools for preschoolers, an overview of measurement of preschoolers' physical activity, and directions for further research. Electronic and manual literature searches were used to identify 49 studies that measured young children's physical activity, and 32 studies that assessed the validity and/or reliability of physical activity measures with preschool-aged children. While no prevalence data exist, measurement studies indicate that preschool children exhibit low levels of vigorous activity and high levels of inactivity, boys are more active than girls, and activity patterns tend to be sporadic and omnidirectional. As such, measures capable of capturing differing activity intensities in very short timeframes and over multiple planes are likely to have the most utility with this population. Accelerometers are well suited for this purpose, and a number of models have been used to objectively quantify preschoolers' physical activity. Only one model of pedometer has been investigated for validity with preschool-aged children, showing equivocal results. Direct observation of physical activity can provide detailed contextual information on preschoolers' physical activity, but is subjective and impractical for understanding daily physical activity. Proxy-report questionnaires are unlikely to be useful for determining actual physical activity levels of young children, and instead may be useful for identifying potential correlates of activity. Establishing validity is challenging due to the absence of a precise physical activity measure, or 'criterion', for young children. Both energy expenditure (EE) and direct observation have been considered criterion measures in the literature; however, EE is influenced by multiple variables, so its use as a physical activity 'criterion' is not ideal. Also, direct observation is inherently subjective, and coding protocols may result in failure to capture intermittent activity, thereby limiting its utility as a physical activity criterion. Accordingly, these issues must be taken into account where EE or direct observation are used to validate physical activity instruments. A combination of objective monitoring and direct observation may provide the best standard for the assessment of physical activity measurement tools. Ideally, the convergent validity of various physical activity tools should be investigated to determine the level of agreement between currently available measures. The correlational approaches commonly employed in the assessment of physical activity measures do not reveal this relationship, and can conceal potential bias of either measure.

Promoting physical activity using an activity monitor and a tailored web-based advice: design of a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN93896459

BackgroundAgeing is associated with a decrease in physical activity. This decrease particularly occurs during specific transitional life stages. Especially during adolescence and young adulthood a steep decrease in physical activity is observed. Inactive people are often not aware of their inactivity. Providing feedback on the actual physical activity level by an activity monitor can increase awareness and may in combination with an individually tailored physical activity advice stimulate a physically active lifestyle.MethodsIn a randomized controlled trial the effectiveness of providing an activity monitor in combination with a personal physical activity advice through the Internet will be examined. Outcome measures are level of physical activity, determinants of physical activity, quality of life, empowerment, aerobic fitness and body composition. Participants are relatively inactive adolescents and young adults who are measured at baseline, after 3 months intervention and 5 months after the end of the intervention. In addition, facilitating and hindering factors for implementation of the intervention will be investigated.DiscussionThe use of a personal activity monitor in combination with web-based assisted individually tailored health promotion offers a good opportunity to work interactively with large groups of adolescents and young adults and provide them with advice based on their actual activity level. It has great potential to motivate people to change their behaviour and to our knowledge has not been evaluated before.

Peak leg muscle power, peak V O2 and its correlates with physical activity in 57 to 70-year-old women

The two aims of this study were first to measure short-term muscle power (STMP) by means of a cycling force-velocity test (cycling peak power: CPP) and a vertical jump test (jumping peak performance: JPP) and second, to examine the relationships between physical activity (PA) level, peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and STMP in healthy elderly women. Twenty-three independent community-dwelling elderly women (mean age: 64+/-4.4) performed on separate days, a peak oxygen uptake test on cycle ergometer, a cycling force-velocity test and a vertical jump test. A questionnaire (QUANTAP) was used to assess lifespan exercise habits. Four indices expressed in kJ day(-1) kg(-1) were calculated. Two indices represented average past PA level: 1/quantity of habitual physical activity (QHPA), 2/quantity of sports activities (QSA). Two indices represented the actual PA level: 3/actual quantity of habitual physical activity (AQHPA), 4/actual quantity of sports activities (AQSA). CPP (6.3+/-1.2 W kg(-1)) was closely correlated to JPP (14.8+/-3.4 cm) (r=0.80, P<0.001). AQHPA and AQSA were only positively associated with peak VO2 (ml min(-1) kg(-1)) (r=0.49; r=0.50, P<0.05, respectively). Past PA level was not related to fitness measurements. Results show that in this population: (1) jumping peak performance was closely related to CPP measured in the laboratory; (2) the cardio-respiratory fitness was related to the actual habitual physical activity level; (3) only age and anthropometric variables explained the actual performances in multivariate analysis.

Decline in physical activity, disability and pain-related fear in sub-acute low back pain

Aim of investigation: To evaluate whether a perceived decline in the level of physical activity after the onset of pain (PAD) is more appropriate in the explanation of disability as compared to the actual level of physical activity (PAL) in patients with sub-acute back pain. Methods: Patients with 4–7 weeks of non-specific low back pain (LBP) participated in this study. Their habitual physical activity level before the back pain started (H-PAL), their actual level of physical activity (PAL) and their perceived decline in the level of physical activity after the onset of pain (PAD) were assessed. The association between these physical activity related variables and perceived disability (QBPDS), fear of movement/(re)injury (TSK), pain catastrophizing (PCS) and pain intensity (VAS) was examined. The role of PAD as a mediator in the association between fear of movement/(re)injury and disability was examined by three linear regression analyses. Results: 123 patients (66 male and 57 female) with a mean age of 44.1 years (SD = 10.3) participated in this study. PAD was significantly correlated with disability, fear of movement/(re)injury, pain catastrophizing and pain intensity. PAD and PAL appeared more important in the explanation of disability in the subgroup of patients who were physically active before their back pain started. Generally, PAD indeed mediated the association between fear of movement/(re)injury and disability. Conclusions: The perceived decline in physical activity, rather than the current physical activity itself is important in the evaluation of the impact of activity related changes on disability in low back pain.

Anxiety, depression, and functional status are the best predictors of health status for patients with heart failure

Abstract : Although mortality related to heart failure (HF) is high, the number of patients living with HF increases annually. Therefore, health status is an increasingly important concept in the management of HF. In fact, most symptomatic patients are more concerned about their everyday health status than the length of their life. Yet, most investigators conduct intervention studies that are designed to reduce mortality. As a result, health status is poorly understood for patients with HF. Thus, we conducted this study to identify predictors of health status. Methods: In this correlational study, we interviewed 87 patients (age 73 +-11 years; 48% female; ejection fraction EF 38 +-15%; New York Heart Association NYHA class III/IV 53%) immediately prior to discharge from a hospitalization for HF. Health status was conceptualized as health-related quality of life HRQOL (measured using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire), actual physical activity level (measured over 24 hours using the Mini Mitter actigraph), and level of symptom burden (measured using the Dyspnea-Fatigue Index). Hierarchical multiple regression techniques were used to deterrnine sociodemographic (sex, age, living alone), clinical (comorbidities, NYHA class, EF), health perception, and emotional (anxiety, depression, and hostility measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory) variables associated with health status. Results: The model for each indicator of health status accounted for 37%, 52%, and 17% of the variance in HRQOL, symptom burden, and physical activity level, respectively. Variables independently associated with each indicator of health status are shown in the table. Based on the standardized beta coefficients, the three strongest predictors of health status were anxiety, NYHA class, and depression. Conclusions: Although emotional variables are not routinely assessed clinically, clearly they have a major impact on health status.

Environmental measures of physical activity supports: Perception versus reality

Background Perceptions of the environment and physical activity have been associated using survey methods, yet little is known about the validity of environmental surveys. In this study, perceptions of the environment at neighborhood and community levels were assessed (1) to determine validity by comparing respondent perceptions to objective measures and (2) to determine test–retest reliability of the survey. Methods A telephone survey was administered to a stratified sample of Sumter County, South Carolina adults. Respondents’ home addresses were mapped using a geographic information system (GIS) ( n =1112). As an indicator of validity, kappa statistics were used to measure agreement between perceptions and objective measures identified at neighborhood and community levels using GIS. A second survey in an independent sample ( n=408) assessed test–retest reliability. Results When assessing perceptions of environmental and physical activity in a defined geographic area, validity and reliability for neighborhood survey items were κ=−0.02 to 0.37 and rho=0.42 to 0.74, and for community survey items were κ=−0.07 to 0.25 and rho=0.28 to 0.56. Conclusions Although causality between perception of access and safety and actual physical activity level cannot be assumed, those meeting national physical activity guidelines or reporting some physical activity demonstrated greatest agreement with access to recreation facilities, while those not meeting the guidelines demonstrated greater agreement with safety of recreation facilities. Factors such as distance and behavior may explain differences in perceptions at neighborhood and community levels. Using local environments with short distances in survey methods improves validity and reliability of results.

Identifying physical activity patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome using actigraphic assessment

Objective: Changes in physical activity are thought to play an important role in maintaining symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The aim of this study was to describe intraindividual physical activity patterns in more detail and to identify pervasively passive patients. Methods: With help of a movement-sensing device, physical activity levels were registered continuously over a 12-day period in 277 CFS patients. Within this registration period, the 10 largest activity peaks were computed. The intensity and duration of these activity peaks and their subsequent rest periods were described and compared to those of 47 healthy controls. In addition, the patients' 12 daily activity scores were used to identify patients who were characterised by low levels of physical activity throughout the registration period. Results: The CFS sample had less intense and shorter activity peaks, while the average rest periods that followed these peaks lasted longer. Approximately one-fourth of the CFS sample differed distinctly from the control group and was labelled as pervasively passive. Conclusion: The measurements and classification of actual physical activity levels were found to reduce heterogeneity in the CFS population and therefore could provide the opportunity to optimise behavioural intervention protocols for CFS.

Self-Favoring Bias for Physical Activity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults1

A self-favoring bias for physical activity (PA) was examined in a community-based sample of middle-aged and older adults (N= 3,211). Participants' actual level of PA relative to peers was compared with their perceived PA relative to peers. It was estimated that 38% were realistic, 46% self-favoring, and 16% other-favoring in their perceptions. Among participants whose actual PA level was similar to peers, increasing age was associated with a self-favoring bias. Among less and more physically active participants, however, age was not associated with this bias. Better self-rated health and being male were also associated with a self-favoring bias. These results suggest that a self-favoring bias for PA exists in a significant proportion of middle-aged and older adults, and it is more pronounced with increasing age, among those with better self-rated health, and among men.

Physical activity in chronic fatigue syndrome: Assessment and its role in fatigue

This paper describes the assessment of physical activity in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and investigated the following questions: Do patients with CFS have low levels of physical activity; is there a relationship between actual level of physical activity and fatigue; can self-report measures adequately assess actual level of physical activity; what is the role of cognitions with respect to physical activity; and are results with respect to physical activity specific to CFS? Three different types of activity measures were used: self-report questionnaires, a 12-day self-observation list, and a motion-sensing device (Actometer) which was used as a reference for actual activity level. Fifty-one patients with CFS, 50 fatigued patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 53 healthy subjects participated in this study. Although none of the self-report questionnaires showed high correlations with the Actometer, questionnaires that require simple ratings of specified activities were related to the Actometer and can be used as acceptable substitutes, in contrast to instruments that require general subjective interpretations of activity that had low or non-significant correlations with the Actometer. Actometer results showed that CFS patients and MS patients had similar activity levels and both groups were significantly less active than healthy subjects. Compared to MS patients, CFS patients were more likely to indicate that they had been less active than other persons they knew. Activities which patients expected to result in higher fatigue levels were less frequently performed. Patients with CFS had significantly higher scores on this measure than MS patients and healthy subjects. Low levels of physical activity were related to severe fatigue in CFS but not in MS. In conclusion, although CFS patients have similar low activity levels than MS patients, there are also important differences between both groups: in CFS cognitive factors are more prominently involved in producing the low activity levels than in MS and in CFS patients activity level is related to fatigue but not in MS.