Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Components and Health Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #119214
Title: ESTIMATING ENERGY EXPENDITURE FROM THE MINNESOTA LEISURE TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TECUMSEH OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRES - A DOUBLY LABELED WATER VALIDATION.

Author
item Conway, Joan
item IRWIN, MELINDA - FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER
item AINSWORTH, BARBARA - UNIV. OF S. CAROLINA

Submitted to: American Journal of Epidemiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2001
Publication Date: 4/1/2002
Citation: Conway, J.M., Irwin, M.L., Ainsworth, B.E. 2002. Estimating energy expenditure from the minnesota leisure time physical activity and tecumseh occupational activity questionnaires - a doubly labeled water validation. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 55:392-399.

Interpretive Summary: An accurate method for assessing energy expenditure (EE) in populations remains elusive. The purpose of this study was to compare EE from a combination of two previously validated physical activity questionnaires, namely the Tecumseh Occupational and the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity questionnaires(EETEC and EEMLTPA) plus EE from sleep (EESLEEP), to EE obtained from the gold standard method doubly labeled water (EEDLW). We studied 24 men eating a controlled diet designed to maintain body weight and determined EE from EEDLW during 14 days, EE from physical activity questionnaires used in epidemiological studies (EETEC and EEMLTPA. There was excellent agreement between EEDLW (mean +/- SEM, 13.55 +/- 0.38 MJ/d) and EETEC + EEMLTPA + EESLEEP (13.79 +/- 0.89 MJ/d) with a difference of only 1.0% +/- 5.4%. When the EE from watching TV, reading, and parenting was added, the total EE (14.87 +/- 0.90 MJ/D) overestimated EEDLW by 8.9% +/- 5.4%. Both of these estimates of EE were good predictors of the gold standard EE. This investigation suggests that a combination of validated physical activity questionnaires may determine the mean energy expenditure of a population. These questionnaires are inexpensive and quick to administer and the results can be evaluated by computer. This study indicates that these questionnaires can be reliably used to study the role of physical activity and energy expenditure in the prevention of disease and promotion of health for the American population.

Technical Abstract: An accurate method for assessing energy expenditure (EE) in individuals and in free-living populations continues to be elusive. The purpose of this study was to compare EE from a combination of two previously validated physical activity questionnaires, namely the Tecumseh Occupational and the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity questionnaires(EETEC and EEMLTPA) plus EE from sleep (EESLEEP), with EE obtained from doubly labeled water (EEDLW). We studied men (n=24) eating a controlled diet designed to maintain body weight and determined energy expenditure (EE) from EEDLW during 14 days, EE from physical activity instruments used in epidemiological studies (EETEC and EEMLTPA. There was excellent agreement between EEDLW (mean +/- SEM, 13.55 +/- 0.38 MJ/d) and EETEC + EEMLTPA + EESLEEP (13.79 +/- 0.89 MJ/d) with a difference of only 1.0% +/- 5.4%. When the EE from watching TV, reading, and parenting was added the total EE (EETOT) (14.87 +/- 0.90 MJ/D) overestimated EEDLW by 8.9% +/- 5.4%. Both of these estimates of EE had significant regressions against EEDLW (EETEC + EEMLTPA + EESLEEP, R2 = 0.38, p<0.001; total EE, R2 = 0.39, p<0.001).This investigation suggests that a combination of validated physical activity questionnaires may determine the mean energy expenditure of a population. The individuals with the largest disagreement between EEDLW and estimates from the questionnaires were those whose occupations involved significant intermittent moderate physical activity. This method for estimating free-living energy expenditure may prove very useful in adults.