Self-Reported Physical Activity Compared With Maximal Oxygen Uptake

Abstract

Maximal oxygen uptake has been used as a measure of physical fitness. This measure increases by approximately 25% when sedentary individuals become more physically active. Oxygen uptake measurement in the laboratory or estimation in fieldwork is complex and costly with finite risk. For the present study, 36 men and 32 women completed the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Index Questionnaire, including a sweat-inducing physical activity frequency question, and had measurement of oxygen uptake during pedal ergometry. Using maximal oxygen uptake as the measure of fitness, the authors found that the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Index, although more detailed, may be less valid than the simpler sweat induction frequency question for estimating fitness. The correlations observed between the sweat question and oxygen uptake were 0.54 for males, 0.26 for females, and 0.46 for the total group. The correlations between the Physical Activity Index and oxygen uptake were 0.26 for males, 0.08 for females, and 0.29 for the total group. The regression relationship (oxygen uptake = 1.92 X (sweat days) + 23.76; standard error of estimate = 8.63 ml/kg/min) is significant for sweat versus oxygen uptake. While the confidence interval limits the practical ability to predict individual values, low cost, absence of risk, and population validity suggest that fitness can be assessed rapidly and simply for epidemiologic studies with a simple "sweat" question.

Frequent Hard Physical Activity Lowered Serum .BETA.-Carotene Level in a Population Study of a Rural City of Japan.

“…Our results are inconsistent with a previous study (Siconolfi et al 1985), which failed to show a significant difference in serum fat soluble vitamins including f3-carotene between athletes (marathon runners, swimmers and etc.) and non athletes.…”

Physical fitness in children: a survey method based on parental report.

“…13 The limited number of other studies of children provide little basis for comparison with the present results. To our knowledge, the only study that examined the relationship between activity level and maximal V02 in children reported a lack of association with activity level measured by activity monitor, questionnaire, or caloric intake.8 A second study by Siconolfi,6 utilizing self-reports of adults, suggests that our method may be generalizable and applicable to epidemiologic surveys, i.e., comparable correlations between questionnaire responses and maximal V02. The Siconolfi report did not evaluate demographic variables, however, and suggests that the nature of the questions, i.e., performance of routine activities such as walking and participation in sports activities versus frequency of exercise-induced sweating, can affect the strength of the association.…”

Physical activity and its correlates in treatment‐seeking obese patients with binge eating disorder

“…Although the PPAQ has adequate psychometric properties and converges satisfactorily with some measures of fitness, 19 other studies 20 have found that it can have substantial error for estimating energy expenditure relative to accelerometer readings. To gain a more accurate measure of energy expenditure, future studies could use, for example, accelerometers.…”