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. 2012 Dec 18;9:148. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-9-148

Table 1.

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

Namea Type (method of administrationb) 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

a.Abbrevations: FITT frequency, intensity, time, type; MET metabolic equivalent.

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.

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.

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.

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