American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 147, No. 2: 147-154
Copyright © 1998 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
other |
Data-based Approach for Developing a Physical Activity Frequency Questionnaire
1 Division d'Epidemiologie Clinique, Hopitaux Universitaires de Genève Genève, Switzerland
2 Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
3 Institut de Physiologie, Université de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
Measurement of total energy expenditure may be crucial to an understanding of the relation between physical activity and disease and in order to frame public health intervention. To devise a self-administered physical activity frequency questionnaire (PAFQ), the following data-based approach was used. A 24-hour recall was administered to a random sample of 919 adult residents of Geneva, Switzerland. The data obtained were used to establish the list of activities (and their median duration) that contributed to 95% of the energy expended, separately for men and women. Activities that were trivial for the whole sample but that contributed to 
10% of an individual's energy expenditure were also selected. The final PAFQ lists 70 activities or group of activities with their typical duration. About 20 minutes are required for respondents to indicate the number of days and the number of hours per day that they performed each activity. The PAFQ method was validated against a heart rate monitor, a more objective method. The total energy estimated by the PAFQ in 41 volunteers correlated well (r = 0.76) with estimates using a heart rate monitor. The authors conclude that the design of their self-administered physical activity frequency questionnaire based on data from 24-hour recall appeared to accurately estimate energy expenditure. Am J Epidemiol 1998;147:147–54.
data collection; energy metabolism; physical fitness; questionnaires
Reprint requests to Dr. Martine Bernstein, Division d'Epidemiologie Clinique, Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve, rue Micheli-du Crest 25, 1211 Geneve, 14, Switzerland. (Note: readers who wish to request copies of the physical activity frequency questionnaire used in this study should use this address.)
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. P. Ziegelmann and S. Lippke Use of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Strategies in Health Self-Regulation: Interplay With Resources and Successful Development J Aging Health, June 1, 2007; 19(3): 500 - 518. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. C. Costanza, S. Beer-Borst, and A. Morabia Achieving Energy Balance at the Population Level Through Increases in Physical Activity Am J Public Health, March 1, 2007; 97(3): 520 - 525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. C. Costanza, E. Cayanis, B. M. Ross, M. S. Flaherty, G. B. Alvin, K. Das, and A. Morabia Relative Contributions of Genes, Environment, and Interactions to Blood Lipid Concentrations in a General Adult Population Am. J. Epidemiol., April 15, 2005; 161(8): 714 - 724. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Morabia and M. C. Costanza Does Walking 15 Minutes per Day Keep the Obesity Epidemic Away? Simulation of the Efficacy of a Populationwide Campaign Am J Public Health, March 1, 2004; 94(3): 437 - 440. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Morabia, E. Cayanis, M. C. Costanza, B. M. Ross, M. S. Flaherty, G. B. Alvin, K. Das, and T. C. Gilliam Association of extreme blood lipid profile phenotypic variation with 11 reverse cholesterol transport genes and 10 non-genetic cardiovascular disease risk factors Hum. Mol. Genet., November 1, 2003; 12(21): 2733 - 2743. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R J Shephard and A Vuillemin Limits to the measurement of habitual physical activity by questionnaires * Commentary Br. J. Sports Med., June 1, 2003; 37(3): 197 - 206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. S. Bernstein, M. C. Costanza, R. W. James, M. A. Morris, F. Cambien, S. Raoux, and A. Morabia Physical Activity May Modulate Effects of ApoE Genotype on Lipid Profile Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 2002; 22(1): 133 - 140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|