title: Measuring physical activity with a single question.
abstract: Using 1,004 subjects enrolled in a worksite health promotion program, this report evaluated the validity of a single question about participation in regular exercise. Measured at baseline, this one question had a significant age-adjusted association with body mass index (p less than 0.0001 in women and p = 0.001 in men), HDL cholesterol (p less than 0.0001 in women), and oxygen capacity (p = 0.0007 in women and p = 0.002 in men). Thus, one self-reported question can provide useful information about who is and who is not participating in regular exercise. The potential validity of a single exercise question is particularly relevant in complex epidemiologic studies where lengthy questionnaires highlight the importance of brief instruments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Schechtman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barzilai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rost
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL