title: Utility of field-based techniques to assess Indigenous Australians' functional fitness and sedentary time.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the utility of field-based techniques to assess functional exercise capacity and sedentary time in Indigenous and non-Indigenous regional Australian adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, analytic cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety six adults residing in regional and remote Australian communities participated in this study (Indigenous n = 61 and non-Indigenous Australians n = 35). Participants undertook a field-based test of functional exercise capacity (6 min walk test; 6 MWT) and wore an accelerometer during waking hours for seven days, provided self-report data on physical activity and sedentary time and rated experiences in regard to the ease of complying with study protocols.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were high levels of compliance in this study (Indigenous: 91% and non-Indigenous: 97%). Functional exercise capacity was lower in Indigenous Australians (P < 0.001), and independently associated with advancing age, higher BMI, and indigeneity, with 45% of variability in the 6 MWT distance explained by these factors. The relationship between accelerometer and self-report measures of sedentary behaviour was significant (P < 0.001) but only explained 17% of the total variation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated very good compliance for the methods utilised and is the first to report reduced functional exercise capacity in Indigenous people.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The field-based techniques from this study demonstrate good utility for larger scale implementation in regional Indigenous populations.
authors: Sport and Exercise Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Sushames
authors: James Cook University, Cairns, Australia; University of St Mark & St John, UK. Electronic address: Andrew.edwards@jcu.edu.au.
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Edwards
authors: James Cook University, Cairns, Australia; Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Cairns, Australia.
authors: J K
authors: JK
authors: Mein
authors: James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Sinclair
authors: James Cook University, Cairns, Australia; Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: G P
authors: GP
authors: Maguire
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report
keywords: Field-based assessment; Indigenous health; Physical activity