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Traditional Physical Activity Indexes Derived from the Harvard Alumni Activity Survey Have Low Construct Validity in a Lower Income, Urban Population

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the construct validity of the Harvard Alumni Activity Survey (HAAS) in an urban, lower income population. Data were collected from 192 smokers enrolled in an antioxidant micronutrient trial. Activity data were compared to body mass index (BMI), diastolic, and systolic blood pressure. The traditional physical activity index (PAI), using data on stair climbing, walking, and sports, was calculated including and excluding body mass. A new scale, the total weekly activity (TWA) scale, was derived from other questions on the HAAS. The PAI scale calculated with body mass was unassociated with BMI and blood pressure. The PAI scale calculated without body mass was unassociated with BMI and systolic blood pressure but was associated with diastolic blood pressure (Beta = −0.001, p = 0.03). The TWA scale was associated with BMI (Beta = −0.01, p = 0.01), diastolic (Beta = −0.03, p = 0.01), and systolic blood pressure (Beta = −0.04, p = 0.01). A one standard deviation change in the TWA scale is predicted to be equivalent to a change of 0.99 BMI units, 2.97 mmHg of diastolic blood pressure, and 3.96 mmHg of systolic blood pressure. This work suggests that the TWA scale has greater construct validity than the traditional PAI scale in this population.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

body mass index

HAAS:

Harvard alumni activity survey

PAI:

physical activity index

TWA:

total weekly activity

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (K07CA092348-01A1, M01RR000645-310825, and U54 CA101598-01) and The New York City Council Speaker’s Fund for Public Health Research. Dr. Rundle is a NCMHD Health Disparities Scholar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Andrew Rundle

  2. Division of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Marshall Hagins

  3. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Manuela Orjuela, Laverne Mooney, Marty Kim & Frederica Perera

  4. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Rm 730, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Andrew Rundle

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  1. Andrew Rundle
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  2. Marshall Hagins
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  3. Manuela Orjuela
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  4. Laverne Mooney
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  5. Marty Kim
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  6. Frederica Perera
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Correspondence to Andrew Rundle.

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Rundle is with the Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Hagins is with the Division of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Orjuela, Mooney, Kim, and Perera are with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

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Rundle, A., Hagins, M., Orjuela, M. et al. Traditional Physical Activity Indexes Derived from the Harvard Alumni Activity Survey Have Low Construct Validity in a Lower Income, Urban Population. J Urban Health 84, 722–732 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-007-9212-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-007-9212-4

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