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Title: COMPARISON OF ENERGY EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES FROM FOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRES TO DOUBLY LABELED WATER (DLW) AMONG POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Author
item MAHABIR, SOMDAT - NIH, NCI
item Baer, David
item GIFFEN, CAROL - INFO MANAGEMENT SERVICES
item HARTMAN, TERRY - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
item Clevidence, Beverly
item CAMPBELL, WILLIAM - JOHNS HOPKINS
item TAYLOR, PHILIP - NIH, NCI

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2006
Publication Date: 3/30/2006
Citation: Mahabir, S., Baer, D.J., Giffen, C., Hartman, T.J., Clevidence, B.A., Campbell, W.S., Taylor, P.R. 2006. Comparison of energy expenditure estimates from four physical activity questionnaires to doubly labeled water (dlw) among postmenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 84:230-236.

Interpretive Summary: There are many different methods to assess energy expenditure associated with physical activity since physical acitivty is an important predictor of health. Many methods have not been validated with doubly labeled water (DLW), technique for determining energy expenditure (EE). The objective of this study is to compare four physical activity questionnaires (Harvard Alumni questionnaire, Five City Project questionnaire, the Cross-Cultural Activity Participation Study (CAPS) Four Week Activity Recall and the CAPS Typical Week Activity Survey) with EE measured from DLW in 65 healthy free-living postmenopausal women. We found that the Harvard Alumni questionnaire, the Five City Project questionnaire and the CAPS Four Week Activity Recall overestimated (P<0.05) daily energy expenditure (EE) by 70%, 30%, and 68% respectively. The CAPS Typical Week Activity Recall underestimated (P<0.05) EE by 16% compared to the DLW method. Moreover, obese and overweight women were found to significantly overestimate energy expenditure compared normal weight women on the Harvard Alumni questionnaire and the Five City Project questionnaire, and obese women may overestimate daily EE the most. These findings are important to epidemiologists, nutrition scientists, health care professionals and any individuals interested in assessing energy expenditure from physical activity.

Technical Abstract: Physical activity energy expenditure is an important determinant of health and epidemiologists have used various methods such as physical activity and energy intake recalls and records to estimate energy cost. However, most epidemiological studies have not validated these methods against the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique for determining energy expenditure (EE). The objective of this study is to compare EE estimated by indirect methods using four physical activity questionnaires with EE obtained from DLW in free-living postmenopausal women. We determined EE using the DLW method and EE from the Harvard Alumni questionnaire, Five City Project questionnaire, the Cross-Cultural Activity Participation Study (CAPS) Four Week Activity Recall and the CAPS Typical Week Activity Survey in 65 healthy postmenopausal women. Compared to DLW, the Harvard Alumni questionnaire, the Five City Project questionnaire and the CAPS Four Week Activity Recall overestimated (P<0.05) daily energy expenditure (EE) by 70%, 30%, and 68% respectively. The CAPS Typical Week Activity Recall underestimated (P<0.05) EE by 16% compared to the DLW method. Obese and overweight women were found to significantly overestimate EE compared normal weight women on the Harvard Alumni questionnaire and the Five City Project questionnaire. In this intervention, Postmenopausal women were found to overestimate EE estimates using three of the four questionnaire methods (Harvard Alumni questionnaire, Five City Project questionnaire, and the CAPS Four Week Activity Recall) and to underestimate EE on the CAPS Typical Week Activity Recall. Obese women may overestimate daily EE the most.