Biomaterial Database

Physical activity and fitness assessment. 1991

R A Feinstein, and K T Francis, and C Lorish

Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35233.

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. Members of a state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics were assessed about their practice behaviors and knowledge related to physical activity and fitness assessments. During health supervision evaluations 19% obtained a physical activity history and 7% measured a heart rate response to exercise. When assessing physical fitness 24% obtained an activity history which included kind, intensity, duration and frequency. 64% limited their physical fitness evaluation to an inspection of general appearance and weight, while 1% used a bicycle ergometer or treadmill, 4% used a step-test and 10% ran a child in place. Only 42% used the information to make recommendations about physical activity. 75% were not familiar with ACSM or AHA recommendations about exercise. Barriers cited to increasing physical activity and fitness assessments included lack of physician time, office space, staff time, and physician training. This survey demonstrates the need for increasing the awareness level of pediatricians about the role of exercise in preventing CHD and the need to incorporate such evaluations into their routine practice.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010372	Pediatrics	A medical specialty concerned with maintaining health and providing medical care to children from birth to adolescence.
D010809	Physical Fitness	The ability to carry out daily tasks and perform physical activities in a highly functional state, often as a result of physical conditioning.	Fitness, Physical
D010818	Practice Patterns, Physicians'	Patterns of practice related to diagnosis and treatment as especially influenced by cost of the service requested and provided.	Clinical Practice Patterns,Physician's Practice Patterns,Clinical Practice Pattern,Pattern, Clinical Practice,Patterns, Clinical Practice,Practice Pattern, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Physician's,Prescribing Patterns, Physician,Physician Practice Patterns,Physician Prescribing Pattern,Physician Prescribing Patterns,Physician's Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Patterns,Practice Pattern, Physician's,Practice Pattern, Physicians',Practice Patterns, Physician,Prescribing Pattern, Physician
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003327	Coronary Disease	An imbalance between myocardial functional requirements and the capacity of the CORONARY VESSELS to supply sufficient blood flow. It is a form of MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA (insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle) caused by a decreased capacity of the coronary vessels.	Coronary Heart Disease,Coronary Diseases,Coronary Heart Diseases,Disease, Coronary,Disease, Coronary Heart,Diseases, Coronary,Diseases, Coronary Heart,Heart Disease, Coronary,Heart Diseases, Coronary
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000407	Alabama	A state in the southeastern region of the United States. The capital is Montgomery.
D015444	Exercise	Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.	Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise