Measurement of physical activity in obese persons: how and why? A review

Abstract

[Purpose] Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for poor health, especially in children. Reduced physical activity, prompted by a sedentary lifestyle, is a major contributor. Hence, it is important to assess physical activity using standardized methods in public health to identify the risks associated with obesity. There have been no recent reports comparing such modalities for use by clinicians and researchers. In this article, some of these methods for use in the assessment of physical activity are reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages are described. [Subjects and Methods] Electronic databases including PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar were searched for literature, using key words Obesity, Physical activity, and Physical Behavior Monitoring. [Results] With advances in technology, various novel methods have been developed to assess physical behavior, but conventional methods are still relevant and easy to administer. [Conclusion] There are various measurement options available. Researchers may choose devices providing more accurate measurements, while clinicians may prefer portability and affordability for patients.

Differences among Saudi and Expatriate Students: Body Composition Indices, Sitting Time Associated with Media Use and Physical Activity Pattern

“…The pattern of physical activity among participants was measured using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) [46][47][48]. They were asked to report the average time per week that the participant spent on physical activity.…”

Sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, abdominal obesity and obesity in adults and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Furthermore, such a review may support health promotion policies to improve physical activity levels in individuals with obesity, enhance the knowledge of the impact of SB and PI, and, ultimately, what aspects future studies should focus on. It is also important to investigate the objective and subjective measures used to classify PI and SB, as each measure has its inherent strengths and weaknesses [14,18,25].…”

Physical activity in depressed and non-depressed patients with obesity

“…Worldwide, however, one out of every five adults is considered physically inactive, which is defined as being engaged in <20 min per day of vigorous-intensity PA on at least 3 days per week or <30 min per day of moderate PA on at least 5 days a week [ 18 , 19 ]. The most objective measure to determine PA is actigraphy [ 20 , 21 ] which makes a record of the activity level of the body. These actigraphy devices use various technologies such as piezoelectric effects to measure acceleration along a movement axis [ 22 ].…”