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Cited by 221Physical Activity and HealthContext-Aware Activity Recognition SystemsSports and Physical Education Studies

Physical activity by self-report: a brief history and future issues

Open access
Haskell, William L.·2012·Journal of Physical Activity and Health
DOI 10.1123/jpah.9.s1.s5
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Abstract

For the scientific domain of physical activity and public health research to advance its agenda of health promotion and disease prevention continued development of measurement methodologies is essential. Over the past 50 years most data supporting a favorable relationship between habitual physical activity and chronic disease morbidity and mortality have been obtained using self-report methods, including questionnaires, logs, recalls, and diaries. Many of these instruments have been shown to have reasonable validity and reliability for determining general type, amount, intensity, and bout duration, but typically do better for groups than individuals with some instruments lacking the sensitivity to detect change in activity. During the past decade the objective assessment of physical activity using accelerometer-based devices has demonstrated substantial potential, especially in documenting the pattern of light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the day. However, these devices do not provide information on activity type, location or context. Research that combines the strengths of both self-report and objective measures has the potential to provide new insights into the benefits of physical activity and how to implement successful interventions.

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Cites

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  • The MAQ was not designed to measure light-intensity activity because of concerns regarding the accuracy of recall of light-intensity activity.

    “Although light-intensity activity comprises the largest percentage of the average adults' day, the MAQ was not designed to measure activities that comprise that level of intensity because of concerns regarding the accuracy of recall of light-intensity activity.”

    From The impact of physical activity on the prevention of type 2 diabetes: Evidence and lessons learned from the Diabetes Prevention Program, a long-standing clinical trial incorporating subjective and objective activity measures (2021) · cites this paper as [10]

    In “Looking Ahead—Measurement of Sitting or Light-Intensity Activity” (page unavailable), the paper says adults recalled light-intensity activity poorly and that developers of the Stanford 7-day physical activity recall chose not to ask about it directly. This supports the stated concern about recall accuracy, but the passage does not establish that the MAQ was designed to omit light-intensity activity for that reason. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Only objective measures, such as the accelerometer, can validly measure activities of light intensity.

    “Only objective measures, such as the accelerometer, can validly measure activities of light intensity (9,10).”

    From The impact of physical activity on the prevention of type 2 diabetes: Evidence and lessons learned from the Diabetes Prevention Program, a long-standing clinical trial incorporating subjective and objective activity measures (2021) · cites this paper as [10]

    The ‘Looking Ahead—Measurement of Sitting or Light-Intensity Activity’ section says existing self-report tools are very poor at estimating time spent in low-intensity activity. But the paper does not support ‘only’: ‘The Limited Evolution of Physical Activity Self-Report’ says some self-report instruments reasonably classify light-intensity activity, while ‘Looking Ahead’ notes that accelerometers also have difficulty distinguishing sitting from other light-intensity activity. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Oxford English Dictionaries Online. http://oxfordictionar- iesonline.com Oxford University Press, Oxford, England. (accessed site April 1, 2011).
  2. Gibbs DD. Sir John Floyer, M.D. BMJ. 1969;1(5638):242- 245.
  3. Smith E. The influence of the labour of the tread-wheel over respiration and pulsation and its relation to the waste of the system, and the dietary of the prisoners. Med Times Gaz. 1857;14:601-603.
  4. Ramey VA, Francis N. A century of work. Am Economic J: Macroeconomics. 2009;1(2):189-224.

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Authors
Haskell, W. L.
Affiliations
Stanford Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Haskell, William L.
ORCID
Haskell, William L.
Venue
Journal of Physical Activity and Health
Publisher
Human Kinetics
Published
2012-01
Volume
9
Issue
s1
Pages
S5-S10
ISSN
  • 1543-3080 (ISSN-L)
  • 1543-5474
DOI
10.1123/jpah.9.s1.s5
OpenAlex
W2398226462
Cited by
221
References
24
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 3
FWCI
14.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Physical Activity and Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems
  • Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
Keywords
physical activity measurement, self-report questionnaire, accelerometer, reliability and validity, chronic disease prevention, health promotion, physical activity interventions
MeSH terms
Acceleration, Energy Metabolism, Health Services Research, Humans, Motor Activity, Public Health, Sedentary Behavior, Self Report

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