Page 13
Thinking Things Through
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Complete questions 1-5 page 13 of Nelson
Physical Education VCE Units 3 & 4.
Dimensions of Physical Activity
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Frequency – Number of times a person engages
in an activity
Duration – Length of time engaged in an activity
Intensity – How hard an activity is
Type – Domains
Context – Where you are, when, who with etc.
Energy – Measured in METs
Expense – Cost in dollars
Reactivity – How much the measure biases
towards the result.
Subjective Measures
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Examples of subjective (remembering physical activity
done) are self-reported recall measures, diaries and logs.
Eg. Active Australia Survey and IPAQ.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Assess multiple domains
Can be quickly administered to large
groups
Low reliability and validity
Social biases in answers given
Poor recall skills in children
Objective Measures Direct
Observation
Direct Observation – Involves
watching people and noting specific
behaviours and activities they are
participating in. Commonly used on
children while playing.
Advantages
 Quantitative and qualitative
information
 Behaviour observed
 Wider variety of information gained
 Software available
 Used in school and community
settings
Disadvantages
 Difficult with large populations
 Obtrusive and time consuming
 Can cause bias
Objective Measures - SOPLAY
System of Observing Play and
Leisure in Youth (SOPLAY)
 Used to asses groups of people
(Commonly school settings).
 Uses a time-sampling technique
in a given target area.
Objective Measures –
SOFIT and BEACHES
SOFIT (System for Observing
Fitness Instruction Time)
 Measures physical activity
during PE classes
 Content and behaviour is
observed (See graph)
BEACHES (Behaviours of
Eating Activity for
Children’s Health
Evaluation System)
 Measures children’ eating
and physical activity
patterns at home and at
school.
Student Activity
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Complete the student activity on page 21 of
Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 3 & 4.
Measurement Options – Direct
Observation
Objective Measures HR Monitors
HR monitors measure our hearts
response to exercise intensity
and energy expenditure.
HR is very useful in the laboratory
and in sports training. Is
unobtrusive and gives quick data
collection.
However, HR is not influenced by
intensity alone. There is also a
lag between HR change and
intensity.
Measurement Options – HR
monitors
Advantages
Disadvantages
Measurement Options Pedometers
Advantages
Disadvantages
Accelerometers
Advantages
Disadvantages
See fig.1.20 p.32
Objective Measures Doubly Labelled
Water
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A form of indirect calorimetry based
on the elimination of deuterium and
oxygen (18) from urine
The doubly labeled water technique
measures the turnover of hydrogen
and oxygen into water and carbon
dioxide
Energy expenditure is calculated
from the difference.
This method of determining energy
expenditure is useful because it
enables researchers to measure
total carbon dioxide production over
a long period of time—from five to
20 days—and yet only requires
periodic sampling of urine.
People being tested can continue
their normal routines because the
method does not require special
arrangements or devices.
Doubly labelled Water
Disadvantages
Advantages
 Extremely expensive,
 Unobtrusive and non
around $2000 per person
invasive.
per test.
 Accurately measures total
 Doesn’t provide any
energy expenditure related information relating to
to physical activity over a
activity type, frequency,
one or two week period.
intensity or duration.
 Allows for the calculation of  Doesn’t provide any
contextual information
VO2
(settings where someone is
 Can be used with any age
being active) about the
group.
physical activity behaviour
of an individual.
Summary:
Methods of Measuring Physical
Activity
Chapter Summary
Read the 10 points on Page 38.
 If there is any point you are unclear of:
STOP: Ask a question or Read again
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Review Questions
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Complete the review questions 1-8 on page
39 of Nelson Physical Education VCE Units
3 & 4.
VCAA Questions - 2006
VCAA Questions - 2006
VCAA Questions - 2006
VCAA Questions 2007
Question 3
 Which method would best assess whether a
7-year-old child is meeting the National
Physical Activity Guidelines
 for children aged 5.12 years?
 A. self report
 B. accelerometry
 C. pedometry
 D. diaries
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VCAA Questions 2007
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Question 2
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Pedometers are a cost-effective way to measure people's physical activity by
counting steps per day.
a. Explain why pedometers are a powerful behaviour change tool and an
effective strategy within a community basedphysical activity program.
2 marks
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b. Give two limitations of using pedometry to assess physical activity.
1.
2.
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2 marks
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VCAA Questions 2007
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Question 18
Mr. Jacobs is a primary school principal interested in increasing the level of
physical activity of his students
during recess and lunchtime.
a. Identify an appropriate measure to assess the context and types of
physical activities children engage in during school recess and lunch
breaks.
1 mark
b. Other than the cost, justify why Mr. Jacobs would have selected the
measure identified in part a. over the use of heart-rate telemetry for use
with children.
2 marks
c. How can a researcher reduce the reactivity associated with the use of
the measure given in part a. to assess children's physical activity during
lunchtime?
1 mark
Total 4 marks
VCAA Questions 2008
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Question 2
Which of the following methods can be used to assess physical activity levels
within a given population?
A. heart rate telemetry, accelerometry, pedometry
B. accelerometry, maximum bench press, beep test
C. heart rate telemetry, beep test, pedometry
D. pedometry, phosphate recovery, heart rate telemetry
Question 8
The National Physical Activity Guidelines are the minimum recommendations by
health authorities to
A. achieve health benefits for the population.
B. increase physical activity levels within the population across all
domains.
C. gain high levels of fitness within the general population.
D. reduce weight and levels of obesity within the population.
VCAA Questions 2008
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Heart-rate monitors provide an indirect measure of physical activity and are
widely used in monitoring fitness
levels.
d. Other than cost, provide one advantage and one disadvantage
associated with the use of heart-rate monitors.
Advantage
Disadvantage
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2 marks
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VCAA Questions 2009
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Question 3
The National Physical Activity Guidelines (NPAG) for children state that
A. children should do at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity
physical activity on most (preferably all) days and should not use
electronic media for entertainment for more than two hours per day.
B. children should participate in 100 minutes of sport and physical activity
each week and should not use electronic media for entertainment for more
than two hours per day.
C. children should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity
physical activity every day and should not use electronic media for
entertainment for more than two hours per day.
D. children should do at least 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical
activity five days a week and should not use electronic media for
entertainment for more than two hours per day.
VCAA Questions 2009
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Question 4
The Australian Department of Health and Ageing has produced a set of NPAG
about the minimum amount of physical activity required to maintain good health.
There are four guidelines for better health for Australian adults.
A clear example of the second guideline – ‘Be active every day in as many ways
as you can’ would be
A. enjoying some regular, vigorous activity.
B. using active transport and doing things yourself instead of using
labour-saving machines.
C. seeing movement of the body as an opportunity for improving health,
not as a time-wasting inconvenience.
D. accumulating 30 minutes (or more) of physical activity throughout the
day by combining a few shorter sessions of activity.
VCAA Questions 2009
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Question 9
A 12-year-old child completed a self-report log and wore an accelerometer to
measure physical activity levelsfor one week.
a. Which method of assessing the child’s physical activity levels would
provide more accurate data?
1 mark
b. Compare the two methods. You must discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of each method in your answer.
4 marks
Objective methods of measuring physical activity can be more reactive than
subjective methods.
c. Identify two objective methods of measuring physical activity and
explain how you could reduce the reactivity of the methods you have
chosen.
Method 1
Method 2
VCAA Questions 2010
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Question 1
Which statement about accelerometers as a tool for measuring physical activity
is true?
A. Accelerometers are a subjective measure of physical activity.
B. There is no reactivity associated with the use of accelerometers.
C. The accelerometer measurement data is provided in beats per minute
(bpm).
D. Accelerometers are an appropriate choice to measure physical activity
levels in children.
VCAA Questions 2010
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The Australian Government has published The National Physical Activity
Guidelines for adults.
b. i. List the four guidelines. 4 marks
1.
2.
3.
4.
ii. Select one of the guidelines and outline a practical way that it could be
implemented. 1 mark
4 + 1 = 5 marks
Web Links – Chapter 1
•Australian government physical activity recommendations for children and young
people: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/healthpubhlth-strateg-active-recommend.htm
•Children’s leisure activities report (Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition
Research – Deakin University): http://www.deakin.edu.au/hbs/cpan/be.php
•Australian Sports Commission: http://www.ausport.gov.au
•VicHealth (The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation):
http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
•Physical Activity Resources for Health Professionals – Introduction (Centre for
disease control and prevention (USA):
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/health_professionals/index.htm
•Strategic Inter-Governmental Forum on Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH):
http://www.nphp.gov.au/workprog/sigpah/
•Sport and Recreation Australia: http://www.sport.vic.gov.au
•Australian Sports Commission: http://www.ausport.gov.au
•Find 30 promotion (Government of WA Department of Health): http://www.find30.com.au
•Walking School Bus promotion (UK): http://www.walkingbus.com
•Ministry of Health (New Zealand) toolkits: http://www.newhealth.govt.nz
•The 10,000 Steps Rockhampton project: http://www.10000steps.org.au/rockhampton/
•Travelsmart Australia: http://www.travelsmart.gov.au
•World Health Organisation: http://www.who.int
•Heart Foundation Australia: http://www.heartfoundation.com.au
•VicHealth (The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation): http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
•Be Active promotion (Government of South Australia): http://www.beactive.com.au
•Go For Your Life: http://www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au
•Physical Activity Resources for Health Professionals – Introduction (Centre for disease control and prevention – USA):
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/health_professionals/index.htm
•Health Promotion (Public Health Agency of Canada): http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/index.html
•Strategic Inter-Governmental Forum on Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH): http://www.nphp.gov.au/workprog/sigpah/
•Healthy youth (Centre for disease control and prevention (USA): http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/
•America On The Move promotion: http://www.americaonthemove.org
•Papers from the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity: http://www.ijbnpa.org/home
•Department of health and aging (Australian government): http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/content/home
•Building a healthy, active Australia (Australian government): http://www.healthyactive.gov.au
•National Public Health Partnership: http://www.nphp.gov.au
•Be Active promotion (Government of South Australia): http://www.beactive.com.au
•Sport and Recreation Australia: http://www.sport.vic.gov.au