Journal article icon

Journal article

Accelerometer compared with questionnaire measures of physical activity in relation to body size and composition: a large cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank

Abstract:
OBJECTIVES:Previous studies of the association between physical activity and adiposity are largely based on physical activity and body mass index (BMI) from questionnaires, which are prone to inaccurate and biased reporting. We assessed the associations of accelerometer-measured and questionnaire-measured physical activity with BMI, waist circumference and body fat per cent measured by bioelectrical impedance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DESIGN:Cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank participants. SETTING:UK Biobank assessment centres. PARTICIPANTS:78 947 UK Biobank participants (35 955 men and 42 992 women) aged 40-70 at recruitment, who had physical activity measured by both questionnaire and accelerometer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:BMI, waist circumference and body fat per cent measured by bioelectrical impedance. RESULTS:Greater physical activity was associated with lower adiposity. Women in the top 10th of accelerometer-measured physical activity had a 4.8 (95% CI 4.6 to 5.0) kg/m2 lower BMI, 8.1% (95% CI 7.8% to 8.3%) lower body fat per cent and 11.9 (95% CI 11.4 to 12.4) cm lower waist circumference. Women in the top 10th of questionnaire-measured physical activity had a 2.5 (95% CI 2.3 to 2.7) kg/m2 lower BMI, 4.3% (95% CI 4.0% to 4.5%) lower body fat per cent and 6.4 (95% CI 5.9 to 6.9) cm lower waist circumference, compared with women in the bottom 10th. The patterns were similar in men and also similar to body fat per cent measured by DXA compared with impedance. CONCLUSION:Our findings of approximately twofold stronger associations between physical activity and adiposity with objectively measured than with self-reported physical activity emphasise the need to incorporate objective measures in future studies.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

Actions

Access Document

Publisher copy:
10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024206

Authors

More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
Medical Sciences Division
Department:
Nuffield Dept of Population Health
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-8739-8415
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Nuffield Department of Population Health
Sub department:
Cancer Epidemiology Unit
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
Medical Sciences Division
Department:
Nuffield Dept of Population Health
Role:
Author


Publisher:
BMJ Publishing Group
Journal:
BMJ Open More from this journal
Volume:
9
Issue:
1
Pages:
e024206
Publication date:
2019-01-29
Acceptance date:
2018-12-06
DOI:
ISSN:
2044-6055
Pmid:
30700478


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:969526
UUID:
uuid:ec2c5477-63f2-4425-9f51-8d21e27700f6
Local pid:
pubs:969526
Deposit date:
2019-02-28
ARK identifier:

Terms of use


Views and Downloads

Views and downloads will return soon






If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record

TO TOP