[The Dijon Physical Activity Score: reproducibility and correlation with exercise testing in healthy elderly subjects].
OBJECTIVE
To validate a French physical activity score for current use in healthy elderly people.


METHODS
A brief questionnaire was developed for healthy elderly subjects older than 72 years. Questions asked about self-assessed physical fitness (1), daily activity (2), leisure and sport activity (5) and rest time (1). Correlations were searched between the score and several parameters of physical fitness: maximal exercise stress test (peak VO(2)), six-minute walk test, 200-meter long walk test, timed up an go test.


RESULTS
A total of 57 subjects were studied (mean age, 77.6 +/-3.6 years; 28 females and 29 males). The mean time to complete the questionnaire was 3.96 minutes. Reproducibility was 0.606, as determined by Spearman's coefficient. Correlations were found between the physical activity score and peak VO(2) (0.302, P <0.05) and peak power (0.257, P <0.10).


CONCLUSIONS
This easily obtained physical activity score provides a new way to assess physical activity in active elderly subjects. The physical score correlated in part with maximal ability but must be validated in several diseases.
Robert
H
H
Inserm, ERITm 0207, pôle de rééducation-réadaptation, CHU de Dijon, 23, rue Gaffarel, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
Casillas
J M
JM
Iskandar
M
M
D'Athis
P
P
Antoine
D
D
Taha
S
S
Didier
V
V
Scaglioni
G
G
Caillaux
B X
BX
Van Hoecke
J
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012146:Rest; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking