Anne Vuillemin

Self-administered questionnaire compared with interview to assess past-year physical activity.

PURPOSE The Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ) is a physical activity questionnaire shown to be both valid and reliable and was initially designed to be interviewer-administered. After translation and adaptation into French, the objective of the study was to compare past-year physical activity data obtained by self-administration of this questionnaire and by interviewer-administration. METHODS 84 subjects (22 men, 62 women, age 36-63 yr) enrolled in an ongoing prospective study in France (the SUpplementation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants or SU.VI.MAX study) completed both versions of the questionnaire in a randomized order with a mean (SD) delay of 7.9 (5.8) d between the two modes. Past-year leisure and occupational physical activity were expressed as both h x wk(-1) and MET-h x wk(-1) of activity, and television watching was expressed as h x d(-1). Analysis of variance on ranks was used to compare activity variables obtained by self-administration and interview. Agreement was assessed by nonparametric intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS A significant effect of the mode of administration was found only for past-year leisure physical activity with lower values reported in self-administered conditions compared with interview. However, a high level of concordance between the two modes of administration was observed for all variables as shown by the intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.90 for leisure physical activity (h x wk(-1)), 0.82 for occupational activity (h x wk(-1)), 0.83 for total (leisure and occupational combined) physical activity (h x wk(-1)), and 0.97 for television viewing (h x d(-1)). CONCLUSIONS The agreement between the two modes of administration of the questionnaire suggests that the self-administered version of the MAQ is a valuable tool to assess past-year physical activity and inactivity in self-administered conditions. This instrument could be used in large-scale population studies investigating the relationships between physical activity and health outcomes.

Influence of Muscle Strength and Body Weight and Composition on Regional Bone Mineral Density in Healthy Women Aged 60 Years and Over

Although weight, lean mass, fat mass and muscular strength are often found to be intercorrelated, the respective role of each parameter in bone mineral density (BMD) remains unknown in older women. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between body weight and composition and quadriceps strength on femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD in healthy postmenopausal women. The relationship between isokinetic quadriceps strength measured by Biodex and BMD measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was studied in 56 women aged 60–81 (70.5 ± 6.2) years in multiple regression models adjusted for age, body composition and menopausal treatment. Weight and age were associated with femoral neck BMD (33 and 10% of variance accounted for, respectively) and lumbar spine BMD (23 and 8% of its variance). When body weight and quadriceps strength were excluded from the model, lean mass and age were associated with femoral neck BMD (29 and 14% of variance explained, respectively) and lumbar spine BMD (28 and 11% of variance explained, respectively). When quadriceps strength was entered into the model, it was strongly associated with femoral neck BMD (30% of variance accounted for), in addition to lean mass (9%) and age (7%), whereas it was not associated with lumbar spine BMD. In conclusion, lean mass explains a great part of the strong association between body weight and femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD. Quadriceps strength explains a great part of the association between lean mass and BMD at the femoral neck site but not at the lumbar spine site. These results suggest a site-specific effect of muscular strength on bone and a potential role of the age-related decline of muscle strength in age-related bone loss in postmenopausal women.

Self-administered physical activity questionnaires for the elderly: a systematic review of measurement properties.

AbstractObjective: To systematically review and appraise studies examining self-administered physical activity questionnaires (PAQ) for the elderly. This article is one of a group of four articles in Sports Medicine on the content and measurement properties of PAQs. Literature Search Methodology: Searches in Pub Med, EMBASE and Sport Discus® (until May 2009) on self-administered PAQ. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) the study examined (at least one of) the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ; (ii) the questionnaire aimed to measure physical activity (PA) in older people; (iii) the average age of the study population was >55 years; (iv) the article was written in English. We excluded PA interviews, diaries and studies that evaluated the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ in a specific population, such as patients. We used a standard checklist (qualitative attributes and measurement properties of PA questionnaires [QAPAQ]) for appraising the measurement properties of PAQs. Findings: Eighteen articles on 13 PAQs were reviewed, including 16 reliability analyses and 25 validity analyses (of which 15 were on construct validity, seven on health/functioning associations, two on known-groups validity and one on responsiveness). Many studies suffered from methodological flaws, e.g. too small sample size or inadequate time interval between test and retest. Three PAQs received a positive rating on reliability: IPAQ-C (International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Chinese), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ≥0.81; WHI-PAQ (Women’s Health InitiativePAQ), ICC = 0.76; and PASE (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), Pearson correlation coefficient (r) = 0.84. However, PASE was negatively rated on reliability in another study (ICC = 0.65). One PAQ received a positive rating on construct validity: PASE against Mini-Logger (r > 0.52), but PASE was negatively rated in another study against accelerometer and another PAQ, Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.17 and 0.48, respectively. Three of the 13 PAQs were tested for health/functioning associations and all three were positively rated in some categories of PA in many studies (r > 0.30). Conclusions: Even though several studies showed an association between the tested PAQ and health/functioning variables, the knowledge about reliability and construct validity of self-administrated PAQs for older adults is still scarce and more high-quality validation studies are needed.

Effect of Adapted Physical Activity Sessions in the Hospital on Health-Related Quality of Life for Children With Cancer: A Cross-Over Randomized Trial

To assess the efficacy of adapted physical activity (APA) on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of hospitalized children and adolescents with cancer between 9 and 18 years of age.

Worksite Physical Activity Interventions and Obesity: A Review of European Studies (the HOPE Project)

Objective: Our aim was to review the effectiveness of physical activity promotion interventions in the worksite setting in Europe in order to identify those studies that had measured obesity-related outcomes and to evaluate how external validity of the findings had been assessed. Methods: We conducted a review of studies conducted in Europe, published up to December 2009. We assessed levels of evidence regarding effectiveness and analysed external validity using the RE-AIM framework. Results: Studies included (n = 33) were divided in 6 intervention categories. Moderate evidence of effectiveness was found for physical fitness outcomes with exercise training interventions and for physical activity outcomes with active commuting interventions. There was no or inconclusive evidence for obesity-related outcomes for all intervention categories. For external validity, elements receiving the least attention (<20%) were representativeness of participants, setting-level inclusion/exclusion criteria and representativeness, characteristics regarding intervention staff, implementation of intervention, costs, long-term effects and programme sustainability. Conclusions: Active commuting and exercise training appear as promising approaches to promote physical activity or fitness in the workplace. The effect of interventions on obesity-related outcomes remains to be further investigated. There is a need to better report elements of generalizability and dissemination for translation into practice of worksite physical activity interventions.

Agreement between children with cancer and their parents in reporting the child's health-related quality of life during a stay at the hospital and at home

BACKGROUND Although parent-child agreement is widely studied in the paediatric clinical sample, no study has compared parent-child agreement during home and hospital stays. We aimed to determine the level of agreement in reports of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between parents of children with cancer and the children themselves during a stay in the hospital and a stay at home. METHODS The sample consisted of 28 children, aged 9-18 years old, hospitalized and treated for cancer in a Childrens University Hospital in France. The childs HRQoL was assessed by the parent and child versions of the Child Health Questionnaire. Parent-child agreement was estimated by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Potential predictors influencing the parent-child agreement were investigated. RESULTS For both locations of stay, parent scores from the HRQoL survey were lower than those for their children for all domains, except for the general behaviour during the home stay. Scores for both parents and children, for all domains, were lower during the hospital than the home stay. The parent-child agreement was better for mental health, self-esteem, general health and family activities during the hospital stay (range 0.32-0.66), but was better for physical function, role/physical and general behaviour during the home stay (range 0.45-0.71). Few predictors of parent-child agreement were found. CONCLUSIONS Agreement between parents and their children who have cancer in reporting the childs HRQoL differed by location of stay. For the home stay, the agreement was better for domains related to the childs physical life, but for the hospital stay, it was better for domains related to the childs behaviour/psychological life.

Association of perceived environment with meeting public health recommendations for physical activity in seven European countries

BACKGROUND This study investigates the association of perceived environment and meeting the current public health recommendations (PHRs) for physical activity (PA) and examines the role of body mass index (BMI) in this relation. METHODS A total of 4231 subjects (>or=18 years), from seven European countries, were involved in a cross-sectional survey. PA was measured by the International PA Questionnaire, and specific questions about perceived environment for PA were added. RESULTS Adults with high personal motivation were more likely to meet PHRs for PA than those without motivation (odds ratio [OR] 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-2.14). Participants perceiving high social support from work or school were more likely to meet PHRs for PA than those without this support (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.30-2.00). Likewise, those with perceived opportunities for PA were more likely to meet PHRs than those without this perception (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.02-1.50). BMI had no effect on meeting PHRs for PA. CONCLUSION The study shows a relation between personal motivation and some aspects of social and physical environment in meeting current PHRs for PA. Future research involving an objective environment to meet PHRs for PA should be undertaken to validate these findings.

10-year cumulative and bidirectional associations of domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviour with health-related quality of life in French adults: Results from the SU.VI.MAX studies.

BACKGROUND The directionality of the associations of domain-specific physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults remain insufficiently known. This study investigated the longitudinal associations of 10-year cumulative levels of PA and SB with HRQoL and the reverse associations. METHODS A sample of 2093 (47.8% men) participants from a cohort of French adult (SU.VI.MAX) was included. Data were collected at 3 time points (1998, 2001 and 2007) using the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ) for PA (leisure-time and occupational) and SB (screen-viewing, reading and total sitting time) and the DUKE Health Profile for HRQoL. The cumulative level (from 0 to 3) referred to the number of time points where a high PA level, high SB or good HRQoL was reported. Regression models examined the 10-year cumulative level of PA, SB as predictors of HRQoL and reverse associations. RESULTS The 10-year cumulative level of high PA, both leisure-time and occupational, predicted a higher HRQoL while the 10-year cumulative level of high screen-viewing time and high total sitting time was associated with lower HRQoL. For the reverse association, cumulative level of good HRQoL predicted more leisure-time PA, less screen-viewing time and less total sitting time but was not related to occupational PA. CONCLUSION Relationships between PA, SB and HRQoL are complex and should not be oversimplified in one or the other direction. Taking into account domain-specific PA and SB in health promotion programs appears of prime importance to design interventions aiming at improving HRQoL.

Reliability and validity of the French version of the global physical activity questionnaire

Background The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) has been used to measure physical activity (PA) and sedentary time in France, but no study has assessed its psychometric properties. This study aimed to compare the reliability as well as criterion and concurrent validity of the French version of the GPAQ with the French International Physical Activity Questionnaire long form (IPAQ-LF) and use of an accelerometer in a general adult population. Methods We included 92 participants (students or staff) from the Medicine Campus at the University of Lorraine, Nancy (north-eastern France). The French GPAQ was completed twice, 7 days apart, to study test–retest reliability. The IPAQ-LF was used to assess concurrent validity of the GPAQ, and participants wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) for 7 days to study criterion validity. Reliability as well as concurrent and criterion validity of the GPAQ were tested by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Spearman correlation coefficient for quantitative variables, and Kappa and Phi coefficients for qualitative variables. Both concurrent and criterion validity of GPAQ were assessed by Bland-Altman plots. Results The GPAQ showed poor to good reliability (ICC = 0.37–0.94; Kappa = 0.50–0.62) and concurrent validity (Spearman r = 0.41–0.86), but only poor criterion validity (Spearman r = −0.22–0.42). Limits of agreement for the GPAQ and accelerometer were wide, with differences between 286.5 min/week and 601.3 min/week. Conclusion The French version of the GPAQ provides limited but acceptable reliability and validity for the measurement of PA and sedentary time. It may be used for assessing PA and sedentary time in a French adult population.

Results From the First French Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND Many countries publish periodic Report Cards on physical activity for children and youth. This paper presents the results from the first French Report Card providing a systematic synthesis and assessment of the national engagements to facilitate childhood physical activity. METHODS A search for nationally representative data on 8 indicators of physical activity was conducted and the data were assessed by an expert panel according to international procedures. Whether children across France are achieving specific benchmarks was rated using an established grading framework [A, B, C, D, F, or INC (incomplete)]. Data were interpreted, grades assigned and detailed in the 2016 Report Card that was produced and disseminated. RESULTS The expert panel awarded the following grades: Overall Physical Activity: INC; Organized Sport Participation: D; Active Transportation: D; Sedentary Behaviors: D; Family and Peers: INC; School: B; Community and the Built Environment: INC; Government Strategies and Investment: INC. CONCLUSIONS The grades reveal that efforts must be done to improve youths physical activity and that several gaps in the literature still need to be addressed. Collectively the results highlight that childrens physical activity levels are low and that further national supports and investments are needed to promote childhood healthy active living in France.