Evaluation of the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey in women

Abstract

AINSWORTH, B. E., B. STERNFELD, M. T. RICHARDSON, and K. JACKSON. Evaluation of the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey in women. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 32, No. 7, pp. 1327–1338, 2000. Purpose The Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) was evaluated for test-retest reliability and comparison with direct and indirect measures of physical activity (PA) in 50 women (ages 20–60 yr) with a broad range of physical activity (PA) habits. Methods The KPAS, an adaptation of the Baecke usual physical activity survey, was designed specifically to assess activity in women. It provides four summary activity indexes: housework/caregiving, active living habits, sports, and occupation. Summary indexes were compared against direct (Caltrac accelerometer and PA records) and indirect (cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O2 peak) and percent body fat) criterion measures of PA. Participants kept detailed PA records for two, 7-d periods, separated by 1 month. Caltrac accelerometers were worn concurrently with the PA records. Results Intraclass correlations for 1-month test-retest reliability were high for all KPAS indexes (r = 0.79 to 0.91, P < 0.01). Age-adjusted Spearman rho correlations between the KPAS sports/exercise and active living habits indexes were of moderate magnitude for V̇O2 peak (r = 0.34 to 0.76, P < 0.01) and percent body fat (r = −.30 to -0.59, P < 0.05). KPAS caregiving and occupation indexes were related to Caltrac kcal·d−1 (r = 0.30 to 0.44, P < 0.05). Correlations between similar activities from the KPAS and PA records ranged from r = 0.03 to 0.64. Daily, habitual activities from the KPAS and PA records had the highest correlations (r > 0.28). Correlations among infrequent activities were lower (r < 0.05). Conclusion The KPAS demonstrated good reliability and was reasonably accurate in detecting regular housework/caregiving, occupation, sports/exercise, and active leisure activities among women with a broad range of physical activity habits.