Abstract
Objective:
To validate a two-question questionnaire on physical activity with the doubly labeled water (DLW) method.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Subjects:
Nine volunteers, age 33–75 years, with a mean body mass index (BMI) (kg m−2) of 27.4.
Measurements:
A questionnaire with one question on physical activity at work and one question on physical activity during leisure time. The answers were converted into a PAL (physical activity level=energy expenditure/basal metabolic rate) value, which was validated with the DLW method.
Results:
The mean values (s.d.) of PAL for the questionnaire and DLW measurements were 1.7 (0.1) and 1.7 (0.1), respectively, with a mean difference of 0.004 (0.172).
Conclusions:
The results were promising to the extent that they could be used in large-scale epidemiological studies.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Dr Linda Hagfors, Department of Food and Nutrition, Umeå University, for practical work with the questionnaires, the DLW method and the dietary history interviews.
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Johansson, G., Westerterp, K. Assessment of the physical activity level with two questions: validation with doubly labeled water. Int J Obes 32, 1031–1033 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.42
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.42
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