Development of a four-item physical activity index from information about subsistence living in rural African women: a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation

• Main Authors: Lambert Estelle V, Alberts Marianne, Cook Ian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2009-11-01
• Series: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
• Online Access: http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/6/1/75

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the criterion validity of a physical activity index (PAI) derived from socio-demographic variables obtained from convenience samples of rural African women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used a sample (N = 206) from a larger dataset which surveyed adult rural Africans during 1997, and data collected during 2003/4 from 138 adult rural African women. A three-point PAI (low-, medium- and high-subsistence) was constructed from four socio-demographic questions related to electricity, cooking methods, water collection and availability of motorized transport. Criterion measures included measures of adiposity, blood biochemistry, resting blood pressure (RBP), physical fitness (VO_2max) and single-plane accelerometry (ACC).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age, educational level and health status were not related to PAI level (p > 0.1). There was a significant negative, linear trend between the PAI level and adiposity level (p < 0.04), and fasting blood glucose concentration (p < 0.0001), while VO_2maxwas positively related to PAI level (p = 0.0190). The PAI level was positively and linearly related to ACC output, namely counts.day^-1(p = 0.0044), steps.day^-1(p = 0.0265), min.day^-1of moderate-to-vigorous activity (p = 0.0040), and the percentage of subjects adhering to physical activity public health guidelines (p = 0.0157). Other criterion measures did not reach significance, but were in the expected direction (sedentary behaviour: p > 0.08, RBP: p > 0.07).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The PAI derived from a socio-demographic questionnaire is a valid instrument for broadly categorizing levels of physical activity for this specific population of rural African women. As the epidemiological transition progresses, validity will need to be re-established.</p>