Physical Activity Epidemiology Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes on physical activity epidemiology, major historical studies, disease distribution, and measurement techniques.

Recommended PA

Physical activity levels that meet recommended guidelines within a week.

Insufficient PA

Engaging in 10 minutes of physical activity per week, which is less than the recommended guidelines.

Inactivity

Engaging in less than 10 minutes of physical activity per week.

Jerry Morris

Researcher who led early PA epidemiology studies on British Civil Servants (1950-1952) and London busmen (1956-1960) examining occupational physical activity and CVD risk.

British Civil Servants Study

Study with data collected from 1950-1952 by Jerry Morris showing mailmen had 1/2 the CVD risk of telephonists, demonstrating that sedentary occupations carry a high risk of disease.

London Busmen Study

Study with data collected from 1956-1960 by Jerry Morris showing conductors had far lower CVD risk than drivers.

Ralph Paffenbarger (Paff)

Researcher who conducted the Harvard Alumni study examining physical activity levels and CVD risk in alumni.

Harvard Alumni Study

Study by Ralph Paffenbarger with data collected from 1962-1978 examining ~17K alumni, showing men who expended 2000 kcals per week in physical activity had lower CVD risk.

Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study

Study demonstrating that individuals who are least fit have the highest mortality.

Pandemic of Physical Inactivity

Global issue where inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor, affecting 31% of the population, linked to chronic non-communicable diseases, and causing a $67.5 billion global loss in 2015 directly in healthcare and indirectly in productivity.

Validity

Accuracy in measurement, such as evaluating whether BMI is a good method to measure.

Reliability

Consistency of measurement results, evaluating whether results differ across populations.

Feasibility

The practical extent to which a measurement method can be applied in the real world.

Epidemiology

The study of the distribution of disease or health outcomes in a population, and the factors that influence or determine this distribution.

Incidence

The number of occurrences of an event or disease in a population.

Prevalence

How many occurrences of a disease or health outcome exist right now.

Rates

Occurrences of health outcomes relative to general population size.

Subjective PA Measurement

Physical activity measurement relying on someone's opinion, questionnaires, or self-reporting; cheap and convenient, but subject to recall bias, social desirability, misclassification, and measurement error.

Objective PA Measurement

Physical activity measurement utilizing tangible data (e.g., Apple Watch info), which faces challenges with measurement error and analysis.

FITT Principle

A framework for physical activity consisting of Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type.

What does PA measurement allow researchers/providers to do?

1) Specify what aspects of physical activity are important for a given outcome (what PA relates to a certain outcome)

2) Monitor changes in physical activity overtime

3) Monitor effectiveness of an exercise in inter

4) determine prevalence of people meeting physical activity recommendations

Assumptions in epidemiology

1) disease is not random

2) has causal and preventative factors

Primary goals of epidemiology

1) distribution of disease (who, when, where?)

2) risk factors associated with disease occurrence (why)

3) prevention of disease by modifying risk factors

4 primary goals of PA epidemiology

1) describe distribution of physical activity (who, when, where)

2) identify correlates

3) Investigate association of physical activity with disease

4) prevent disease occurrence by by changing physical activity

Noncommunicable diseases

Chronic illness

Continuous PA level

Objective measurement

Categorical PA level

Meats requirements, subjective