Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents, Measurements of

With promotion of regular physical activity becoming a public health priority, it is critical that researchers and clinicians have access to precise and yet practical tools to measure physical activity in children and adolescents. Valid and reliable measures of physical activity are a necessity in studies designed to (a) document the frequency and distribution of physical activity in defined population groups, (b) determine the amount or dose of physical activity required to influence specific health parameters, (c) identify the psychosocial and environmental factors that influence physical activity behavior in youth, and (d) evaluate the efficacy or [Page 915]effectiveness of programs to increase habitual physical activity in youth.

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that results in energy expenditure above resting. ...