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. 2009;6 Suppl 1(0 1):S61-9.
doi: 10.1123/jpah.6.s1.s61.

The work and home activities questionnaire: energy expenditure estimates and association with percent body fat

Gladys Block  1 , Christopher D Jensen, Torin J Block, Jean Norris, Tapashi B Dalvi, Ellen B Fung
Affiliations

The work and home activities questionnaire: energy expenditure estimates and association with percent body fat

Gladys Block et al. J Phys Act Health. 2009.

Abstract

Background: Understanding and increasing physical activity requires assessment of occupational, home, leisure and sedentary activities.

Methods: A physical activity questionnaire was developed using data from a large representative U.S. sample; includes occupational, leisure and home-based domains; and produces estimates of energy expenditure, percent body fat, minutes in various domains, and meeting recommendations. It was tested in 396 persons, mean age 44 years. Estimates were evaluated in relation to percent body fat measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Results: Median energy expenditure was 2365 kcal (women) and 2960 kcal (men). Women spent 35.1 minutes/day in moderate household activities, 13.0 minutes in moderate leisure and 4.0 minutes in vigorous activities. Men spent 18.0, 22.5 and 15.6 minutes/day in those activities, respectively. Men and women spent 276.4 and 257.0 minutes/day in sedentary activities. Respondents who met recommendations through vigorous activities had significantly lower percent body fat than those who did not, while meeting recommendations only through moderate activities was not associated with percent body fat. Predicted and observed percent body fat correlated at r = .73 and r = .82 for men and women respectively, P < .0001.

Conclusions: This questionnaire may be useful for understanding health effects of different components of activity, and for interventions to increase activity levels.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Observed and predicted body fat. Vertical axis, percent body fat. Within each gender, 2 plots are shown—percent body fat as measured by DXA and percent body fat as predicted by the questionnaire. The boxes indicate 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile, and the tails on the boxes represent minimum and maximum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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