title: Comparison of activity levels using the Caltrac accelerometer and five questionnaires.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity levels of physical therapists using five activity questionnaires and one electronic motion sensor (Caltrac). Thirty-three physical therapists (26 female, seven male) were monitored for seven consecutive days. The Caltrac data were compared with five questionnaires, including the Baecke (Baecke); Godin and Shephard (Godin); Ross and Jackson (NASA); 3-d record (3-d); and 7-d recall (7-d). A significant (P < 0.01) Spearman rank order correlation coefficient was observed between the Caltrac reading and the 7-d recall (r = 0.79). A significant correlation was also observed between the Caltrac and the Godin (r = 0.45, P < 0.01). Three of the questionnaires were also significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with each other, including the NASA with the Baecke (r = 0.52), the NASA with the Godin (r = 0.54), and the Godin with the Baecke (r = 0.61). The 3-d record was not significantly correlated with any of the other measures. The strong, significant correlation observed between the Caltrac data and the 7-d recall suggests adequate validity for the 7-d recall. The 7-d recall questionnaire would be quicker, easier, and less expensive to use in a large population study than the Caltrac.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, University of Massachusetts at Amherst 01003.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Freedson
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires