Skip to main content

Dietary Risk Assessment in the WIC Program (2002) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

6 Assessment of Physical Activity
Pages 85-92

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 85...
... It makes recommendations about the role of physical activity assessment in the WIC program and about future research needs in this area. CHALLENGES IN ASSESSING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Physical Activity in Preschoolers The Dietary Guidelines and thus the physical activity guideline contained within them, apply only to children 2 years of age and older.
Read the entire page →
From page 86...
... Any physical activity assessment tool aimed at accurately classifying physical activity levels in women enrolled in the WIC program would need to include a variety of activities performed by these women in their everyday lives. For example, including household activities in physical activity questionnaires has been shown to dramatically alter the classification of women's activity levels in relationship to men (Ainsworth et al., 1993b)
Read the entire page →
From page 87...
... The 1994 ACOG recommendations stated that in uncomplicated pregnancies "there are no data in humans to indicate that pregnant women should limit exercise intensity and lower target heart rates because of potential adverse effects." While these recommendations are not quantitative, they still allow the target of "30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily." A recent review of studies examining the maternal and fetal effects of maternal exercise during pregnancy suggests that even strenuous exercise regimens are associated with improved outcomes for mother and fetus (Clapp, 2000~. In summary, there is no evidence or conflicting "expert" recommendation suggesting that the quantitative physical activity guideline in the Dietary Guidelines does not apply to pregnant, postpartum, or lactating women who are not experiencing medical complications of these physiologic states.
Read the entire page →
From page 88...
... In this low-income group, television viewing was strongly related to body mass index but not to physical activity. METHODS TO ASSESS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Overview of Methods Several comprehensive reviews have been written on the different methods to assess physical activity in adults and children (Baranowski et al., 1992, Goran, 1998, Kohl et al., 2000, Kriska and Caspersen, 1997, Pate, 1993, Sallis and Saelens, 2000, Welk and Wood, 2000~.
Read the entire page →
From page 89...
... is required to reliably assess habitual activity levels of an individual (Baranowski and de Moor, 2000, Trost et al., 2000~. Thus, the cognitive demands of recalling the performance of varied activities over time, while also including the dimensions of frequency, duration, and intensity, is likely to make the valid classification of any individual's physical activity an unachievable goal, regardless of that individual's available time or educational level.
Read the entire page →
From page 90...
... Thus, there are no published activity recall instruments for preschool children that could be evaluated by the committee for assessing the physical activity guideline for children that is provided in the Dietary Guidelines. CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION The committee concludes that there are not now, nor will there likely ever be, valid physical activity assessment tools that can distinguish ineligible individuals from eligible individuals for WIC based on their physical activity levels.
Read the entire page →
From page 91...
... After these revisions, the questions will be validated in a number of populations against other measures of physical activity and energy expenditure. While this research process may hold some promise for the development of a useful tool to assess physical activity levels at the group level among women in WIC, the tool will not produce valid measures for determining individual eligibility.
Read the entire page →
From page 92...
... However, the research base supporting this notion is small, and little is known about the factors that, if modified, could improve perceptions abut neighborhood safety, and thereby possibly increase physical activity levels. Whether preschool children or their mothers will be more active if they spend more time outdoors or less time watching television is not known.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • activity assessment
  • activity levels
  • dietary guidelines
  • assessing physical
  • preschool children

  • assess physical
  • moderate physical
  • activity guideline
  • assessment tools
  • valid physical

  • quantitative physical
  • activity recall
  • assessment tool
  • women enrolled
  • wic program

  • available instruments
  • activity level
  • constitutes moderate
  • increase physical
  • operational constraints

  • wic population
  • vigorous physical
  • adult caretaker
  • activity questionnaires
  • target indicators

  • socioeconomic status
  • diet assessment
  • lower socioeconomic
  • activity questions
  • postpartum women


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.