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Estimating activity energy expenditure: how valid are physical activity questionnaires?
Heather K Neilson1, Paula J Robson, Christine M Friedenreich
1Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, Calgary, Canada. heathnei@cancerboard.ab.ca
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|February 9, 2008
Summary
Physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) are a feasible method for estimating activity energy expenditure (AEE) in large populations. However, only two of 23 PAQs showed acceptable validity when compared to doubly labeled water (DLW).
Area of Science:
- Energy metabolism and physical activity research.
- Human physiology and health assessment.
Background:
- Activity energy expenditure (AEE) is a key modifiable component of total energy expenditure (TEE).
- Accurate estimation of AEE in free-living individuals is crucial for understanding its health implications.
- Physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) offer a potentially feasible method for large-scale AEE assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the criterion validity of existing physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) for estimating usual activity energy expenditure (AEE) in adults.
- To compare PAQ-derived AEE estimates against doubly labeled water (DLW) measurements.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 20 publications comparing PAQs with DLW as the criterion measure.
- Appraisal of criterion validity using mean differences, 95% limits of agreement, and correlation coefficients.
- Analysis of study design factors influencing validity estimates.
Main Results:
- Only 2 out of 23 assessed PAQs demonstrated acceptable criterion validity for estimating total energy expenditure (TEE).
- These valid PAQs showed mean differences of 10% and 2% and correlation coefficients of 0.62 and 0.63 against DLW.
- No consistent over- or underreporting was observed at the group level across studies.
Conclusions:
- Most physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) lack sufficient criterion validity for accurately estimating activity energy expenditure (AEE) in adults.
- Discrepancies may arise from incomplete activity assessment, differing timeframes, or inaccurate metabolic equivalent assignments.
- Further research is needed to improve PAQ design and validation for reliable AEE estimation.
