The vagaries of self-reports of physical activity: a problem revisited and addressed in a study of exercise promotion in the over 65s in general practice.
BACKGROUND
The assessment of levels of physical activity relies upon suitable measurement tools.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate whether a practice nurse, using a motivational interview technique, could encourage older patients to increase their physical activity.


METHODS
Health and well-being were monitored at baseline and 8 weeks following intervention. Physical activity levels were ascertained using both a self-report measure and ambulatory heart-rate monitoring.


RESULTS
Whilst patients reported higher levels of physical activity at follow-up, this finding was not confirmed by the heart-rate data.


CONCLUSIONS
The study concludes that patients tend to overestimate the amount of physical activity undertaken and that ambulatory heart-rate monitoring may be more useful for verifying actual behaviour.
Sims
J
J
Department of General Practice and Primary Care, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Smith
F
F
Duffy
A
A
Hilton
S
S
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D010809:Physical Fitness