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Table 1 Basic characteristics and dimensions of physical activity assessed by self-report measures described in this review

From: Direct and indirect measurement of physical activity in older adults: a systematic review of the literature

Name a

Type (method of administration b )

Length of Recall

Dimensions of PA (FITT)

Minnesota Leisure Time Activity Questionnaire

Quantitative (Interview)

Last 12 months

F: months/year & average # times/month

I: METs assigned to activities

T: leisure time & home/household

   

T: hours & min. of activity per occasion

Yale Physical Activity Survey

Quantitative (interview)

Typical week in last mo.

F: times/month of walking, vigorous intensity

I: activities assigned intensity codes

T: vigorous activity, leisurely walking, sitting, standing, stairs, activity across 4 seasons

   

T: hours/week. Duration not rated per occasion.

Modified Baecke Questionnaire

Recall (Interview)

Past year

F: rating scales (e.g., never, sometimes, mostly, always), months per year, stairs/day

I: activities assigned intensity codes

T: habitual physical activities (household, sport & other leisure)

   

T: hours/week. Duration not rated per occasion.

College Alumni Questionnaire

Recall (interview/self)

Usual activity & past year. Past week

F: blocks/day, flights/day, times/year or times/week

I: METs applied to activities, pace of walking, level of exertion of exercise

T: leisure, walking, stair climbing, general vigorous, moderate, light activity, sitting activity, sleeping/reclining

   

T: min/day; hours/day of activities on usual weekend & usual weekday

Seven Day Recall

Recall (interview)

Past 7 days

F: day/weeks, times/week (interviewer administered log of previous 7 days)

I: Participant also asked to rate activities (moderate, hard, very hard). METs applied to activities

T: sleep, leisure & occupational activities

   

T: hours/day in moderate, hard, & very hard activities, hours of work, time spent sleeping

Lipid Research Clinics Questionnaire

Global (self)

Usual activity

T: leisure & occupational

Stanford Usual Activity Questionnaire

Global (interview)

Usual activity

T: leisure, walking, stairs

Physical Activity Scale forthe Elderly

Recall (interview or self)

Past 7 days

F: rating scale for leisure activities (never, seldom, sometimes, often)

T: leisure, sedentary activity, walking, household & occupational

   

T: rating scale for leisure activities (<hour, 1–2 hours, 2–4 hrs, >4 hrs). Hours of work per week.

Questionnaire d’Activité Physique Saint-Etienne

Quantitative (interview)

Typical week in past year

F: days/week, times/week (from typical timetable)

I: METs assigned to activities – age & sex adjusted

T: leisure, household, basic activities of daily living, travel including walking), & occupational

   

T: min/week

Community Health Activity Model Program for Seniors Activities Questionnaire for Older Adults

Quantitative (interview/self)

Typical week in last month

F: times/week

I: METS assigned to activities

T: light, moderate, vigorous physical activity

   

T: hours/week

Phone FITT

Recall (interview)

Typical week in last month

F: times/week, months/year

I: Rating scale (breathing normally, slightly out of breath, too out of breath to carry out a conversation)

T: household activities, recreational & conditioning, seasonal recreational

   

T: time per occasion (1–15, 16–30,31-60 min, >1 hr

Zutphen Physical Activity Questionnaire

Recall (self)

Past wk. past mo. or usual

F: times/week, times/month

I: Pace of walking. Intensity codes assigned to hobbies and sports;

T: leisure time, walking, stairs, sleep, household, activities

   

T: minutes/week

Physical Activity Questionnaire for Elderly Japanese

Recall (self)

Typical wk in past month

F: rating scale (never, seldom, sometimes, often)

I: METs assigned to activities

T: personal transportation, exercise/sports, household activities, occupational activities

   

T: rating scale for hours per day(<1 hr, 1–2 hrs, 2-4 hrs, >4 hrs)

   

Other:

Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire

Quantitative (interview)

Previous two weeks

F: times//2 weeks

I: METS assigned to activitiesc

T: walking outside, bicycling, gardening, light household activities, heavy household activities, & maximum of sports activities

   

T: time per occasion (hours & min.)

Barcelona Health Interview Survey (Physical activity items)

Global (interview)

Previous week

F: times/week of bouts >20 minutes

   

T: light, moderate, & vigorous physical activity

Exercise Induced Sweating (Godin & Shepard, 1985)

Global (interview/self)

Week

F: times/week

   

T: regular activity long enough to work up a sweat

Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System

Recall (interview)

Past month

F: times/week or month

I: METs assigned to activities

T: household, occupational & leisure grouped

   

T: hours & min per activity

Lifetime Physical Activity based on Godin et al. (1997)

Global (self)

Lifetime

FITT not evaluated. Rating of physical activity participation over entire life course on 5 point scale from “never been involved” to “always been involved”

National Health Interview Survey Heath & 1985 HD/DP supplement

Recall (interview)

Past 2 weeks

F: times/2weeks

I: rated intensity of activity (small, , moderate, or large increase or no increase in heart rate or breathing)

T: leisure time & occupational activity

   

T: min per occasion of activity

24 hour recall

Quantitative (?)

24 hours

F: activities/5 min interval/day

I: individually measured energy cost assigned to activities and total daily EE calculated

T: sitting quietly, sitting actively, standing quietly, standing activity, walking, cycling

   

T: min per activity

Job-related activity item

Global (self)

Current/not specified

T: Job related activity (physical work on job)

   

T: rated on scale of great deal, a moderate amount, a little or none.

Daily activity item

Global (self)

Current/not specified

T: main daily activity (physical work)

   

T: rated on scale of great deal, a moderate amount, a little or none.

Activity compared to peers item

Global (self)

Current/not specified

T: physical activity compared to peers on 3 point (more active, less active, or about as active) or 5 point scale (a lot more or a little more/a lot less or a little less)

Activity logs/diaries

Quantitative (self)

Varies, typically a week

F: times/day, times/week, which days/week

I: ratings of perceived exertion. METs assigned to activities

T: varies, all activities can be recorded

   

T: depends on level of detail of log, time per occasion, hours per day.

Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile, exercise subscale

Global (self)

Present life (time frame not specified)

F: 4 point scale (Never, Sometimes, Often, Routinely)

   

T: planned exercise, light to moderate PA, vigorous PA, leisure (recreational) PA, stretching, exercise during usual daily activities

Active Australia Survey

Recall (interview) –

Past week

F: times/week

T: walking, vigorous gardening or heavy work around the yard, vigorous physical activity excluding gardening, household chores and yard work, moderate physical activity

   

T: total time (hours and min) per activity categoriesin last week

International Physical Activity Questionnaire

Quantitative (self or interview). Note: short form also available (only 7 items)

Usual (long form) or past week (short form)

F: days/week

T: vigorous PA, moderate PA, walking, sitting

   

T: min and hours/day per activityd

  1. a.Abbrevations: FITT frequency, intensity, time, type; MET metabolic equivalent.
  2. b.The modified Dallaso, the Older Adult Exercise Status Inventory, the Physical Activity Index, or the Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study Physical Activity Questionnaire, 24 hour recall (not described), and an unspecified global self-rated PA item are not summarized in this table because the authors were unable to obtain a copy of the questionnaires.
  3. c.Types of physical activity questionnaires (PAQ) were classified using the same terminology as Neilson, Robson, Friendenreich, & Csizmadi [67], where global PAQs derive a score & contain <10 items, recall PAQs derive scores, activity duration or estimates of energy expenditure & contain 10–12 items and quantitative PAQs estimate EE and contain >20 items.
  4. d.Stel et al., (2004) used a special scoring system scoring system for the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire, rather than the usual scoring system. MET values were not assigned to activities in this study.