TY - JOUR
T1 - Linking the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and the compendium of physical activities
T2 - Methods and rationale
AU - Tudor-Locke, Catrine
AU - Washington, Tracy L.
AU - Ainsworth, Barbara
AU - Troiano, Richard P.
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - Background: The 2003 Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey (ATUS) contains 438 distinct primary activity variables that can be analyzed with regard to how time is spent by Americans. The Compendium of Physical Activities is used to code physical activities derived from various surveys, logs, diaries, etc to facilitate comparison of coded intensity levels across studies. Methods: This article describes the methods, challenges, and rationale for linking Compendium estimates of physical activity intensity (METs, metabolic equivalents) with all activities reported in the 2003 ATUS. Results: The assigned ATUS intensity levels are not intended to compute the energy costs of physical activity in individuals. Instead, they are intended to be used to identify time spent in activities broadly classified by type and intensity. This function will complement public health surveillance systems and aid in policy and health-promotion activities. For example, at least one of the future projects of this process is the descriptive epidemiology of time spent in common physical activity intensity categories. Conclusions: The process of metabolic coding of the ATUS by linking it with the Compendium of Physical Activities can make important contributions to our understanding of American's time spent in health-related physical activity.
AB - Background: The 2003 Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey (ATUS) contains 438 distinct primary activity variables that can be analyzed with regard to how time is spent by Americans. The Compendium of Physical Activities is used to code physical activities derived from various surveys, logs, diaries, etc to facilitate comparison of coded intensity levels across studies. Methods: This article describes the methods, challenges, and rationale for linking Compendium estimates of physical activity intensity (METs, metabolic equivalents) with all activities reported in the 2003 ATUS. Results: The assigned ATUS intensity levels are not intended to compute the energy costs of physical activity in individuals. Instead, they are intended to be used to identify time spent in activities broadly classified by type and intensity. This function will complement public health surveillance systems and aid in policy and health-promotion activities. For example, at least one of the future projects of this process is the descriptive epidemiology of time spent in common physical activity intensity categories. Conclusions: The process of metabolic coding of the ATUS by linking it with the Compendium of Physical Activities can make important contributions to our understanding of American's time spent in health-related physical activity.
KW - Metabolic coding
KW - Secondary analysis
KW - Surveillance
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U2 - 10.1123/jpah.6.3.347
DO - 10.1123/jpah.6.3.347
M3 - Article
C2 - 19564664
AN - SCOPUS:66649096182
VL - 6
SP - 347
EP - 353
JO - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
JF - Journal of Physical Activity and Health
SN - 1543-3080
IS - 3
ER -