Chapter 11

Physical Fitness and Activity Assessment in Adults

Adult Fitness Testing

• Reliability

• Validity

• Relevance

• Objectivity

• Normative Data

• Feasibility

Table 11-1Populations and Purposes of Physical Fitness Testing

Population Health-related

Motor Diagnosis Militarypreparation

FunctionalCapacity

Youth * * * *Adults * *The aged * *Special

Mentally impaired * * *Physically impaired * * *Athletes * *The ill or injured *

Table 11-2Health-Related Fitness Factors and Benefits

Factor BenefitsCardiovascular endurance Reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease

Body composition Reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease, adult-onset diabetes, and cancer

Muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility

Reduction in risk of low-back painImproved posture and functional capacityAbility to conduct daily activities

Figure 11.1Relationship Between Cardiovascular Endurance and

Cardiovascular Death Rate

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Q 4 Q 3 Q 2 Q 1Car

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Cardiovascular endurance quartile

Table 11-3Major Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

Family history Father or brother: CVD < 55 yr

Mother or sister: CVD < 65 yr

Cigarette smoking Current or recently quit

Hypertension SBP > 140 or DBP > 90

Cholesterol Total C > 200 mg/dl or

HDL < 35 mg/dl

Impaired fasting glucose Fasting blood sugar > 110 mg/dl

Obesity BMI > 30 or waist girth > 100 cm

Sedentary lifestyle/physical inactivity

Not meeting Surgeon General’s guidelines

Table 11.3

Risk Classification

Low Risk Men < 45 yr or women < 55 yr who are asymptomatic and meet no more than one risk factor threshold

Moderate Risk Men > 45 and women > 55 or individuals who meet two or more of the risk factors

High Risk Symptomatic or individuals with known cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease

Measuring Aerobic Capacity

• Aerobic Capacity• Laboratory

Maximal TestsSubmaximal Estimations

• Field MethodsDistance RunsStep TestsRockport 1-Mile Walk TestPredicting VO2max Without Exercise

Figure 11.4Linear Relationships Among Oxygen Consumption,

Heart Rate, and Workload

Measuring Body Composition

• Body Composition• Laboratory

Hydrostatic WeighingUsing Body Density

• Field MethodsSkinfoldsBody Mass IndexDistribution of Body Fat

Waist/Hip Girth Ratio> 1.00 for males > risk> 0.80 for females > risk

Waist Girth> 102 cm (40 in) for males > risk> 88 cm (35 in) for females >

risk

What is your BMI?

Underweight < 18.5

Normal 18.5 – 24.9

Overweight 25.0 – 29.9

Obesity class I 30.0 – 34.9

Obesity class II 35.0 – 39.9

Extreme obesity 40.0 +

Use Table 11-16 on pages 242 - 243

Harpenden® Skinfold Caliper

Lange Skinfold Caliper

Calculation of Lean Weight and Fat Weight

• 1) Determine total body weight (TBW)

• 2) Determine percent fat

• 3) Fat weight = TBW * percent fat

• 4) Lean Weight (LW) = TBW - FW

Calculation of Target Weight

• Calculation of Target Weight1) Determine your lean weight (TBW - FW)2) Determine your target percent fat (TPF)3) Target weight = LW / (1 - TPF/100)

• This method assumes:1) Your target percent fat is less than

your current percent fat2) Your goal is to lose fat weight

Muscular Strength and Endurance

• SpecificityDetermined with concurrent validity (i.e., PPM)

• PowerThe time rate of doing work

• Muscular enduranceRepetitive performance

• Relative enduranceRelative to maximum performance

• Absolute enduranceAt a fixed resistance

Types of Contractions Measured

Concentric Muscle generate force as it shortens

Eccentric Muscle generates force as it lengthens

Isometric Muscle generates force but remains static in length and causes no movement

Isotonic Muscle generates enough force to move a constant load at a variable speed through full ROM

Isokinetic Muscle generates force at a constant speed through full ROM

Measuring Muscular Strength and Endurance

• Muscular Strength and Endurance• Laboratory

Computerized DynamometersBack Extension Strength Test

• Field methodsTraditional Weight Lifting TestsBody Resistance (i.e., pull-ups, sit-ups, etc.)1 Repetition Max10 Repetition Max

Trial-and-error estimation

Cable Tensiometer

Measuring Flexibility

• Flexibility is very joint specific• Laboratory

GoniometryFlexometerVisual estimationRadiographyPhotographyLinear measurementsTrigonometry

• Field methodsTrunk Flexion (Sit-and-reach)Trunk Extension

Goniometer

Flexometer

Health Related Fitness Battery

• YMCA Physical Fitness Test BatteryHeightWeightResting heart rateResting blood pressureBody compositionCardiovascular evaluationFlexibilityMuscular strength and endurance

Health Related Fitness Battery

• Canadian Standardized Test of FitnessResting heart rateResting blood pressureBody composition (skinfolds)Cardiovascular enduranceFlexibility (sit-and-reach)

Abdominal enduranceUpper-body strength and endurance

Aging is related to . . .

• decreased sensations of taste, smell, vision, and hearing,

• decreased mental abilities,• decreased organ function,• decreased bone mineral content, and• decreased physical fitness.

All of these factors lead to a decreased quality of life,health-related fitness, and functional fitness.

Table 11-24Fitness Parameters and Items of the Older Adult Fitness Test

Physical fitness parameter Test item

Lower-body strength 30 s chair stand

Upper-body strength Arm curl

Lower-body flexibility Chair sit-and-reach

Upper body flexibility Back scratch

Cardiovascular endurance 6 min walk or 2-min step-in-place test

Motor fitnessComposite measure of power, speed, agility, and balance

8 ft up-and-go

Body composition Body mass index (BMI)

Health Related Fitness Battery forSpecial Populations

Anaerobic capacity and power

Aerobic capacity

Electrocardiographic response to exercise

Muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility

Body composition

Measuring Physical Activity

• Is important because physical activity is related to physical fitness

• Physical activity is related to quality of life and functional capacity

• Physical inactivity is related to development of a variety of diseases

Figure 11.19The relationship of health-related fitness to the

physical activity pyramid

Measuring Physical Activity

• Direct measurement include:ObservationCalorimetryStep countersMotion sensors

• Field methods include:Self-reportDiaries

Caltrac® Accelerometer

A five-level single-responseassessment of physical activity

Precontemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly and I do not plan to start in the near future

Contemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly but I have been thinking of starting

Preparation I am doing moderate physical activity fewer than 5 times a week, or vigorous ones fewer than 3 times per week

Action I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for the last 1 to 6 months

Maintenance I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for 7 months or longer

A five-level single-responseassessment of physical activity

Precontemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly and I do not plan to start in the near future

Contemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly but I have been thinking of starting

Preparation I am doing moderate physical activity fewer than 5 times a week, or vigorous ones fewer than 3 times per week

These 3 groups do NOT meet theSurgeon General’s guidelines for sufficient

physical activity for a health benefit

A five-level single-responseassessment of physical activity

Precontemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly and I do not plan to start in the near future

Contemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly but I have been thinking of starting

Sub-Action I am doing moderate physical activity fewer than 5 times a week, or vigorous ones fewer than 3 times per week

Action I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for the last 1 to 6 months

Maintenance I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for 7 months or longer

These 2 groups DO meet theSurgeon General’s guidelines for sufficient

physical activity for a health benefit

CRT Reliability

How could you determine thecriterion-referenced reliability of the

5-level single response item?

1) Administer the question on TWO occasions.2) Determine if the respondent meets or fails to

meet the Surgeon General’s guidelines on eachoccasion.

3) Develop a 2X2 table as illustrated in chapter 7.

A five-level single-responseassessment of physical activity

Precontemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly and I do not plan to start in the near future

Contemplation I don’t exercise/walk regularly but I have been thinking of starting

Preparation I am doing moderate physical activity fewer than 5 times a week, or vigorous ones fewer than 3 times per week

Action I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for the last 1 to 6 months

Maintenance I have been doing moderate physical activities 5 or more times a week, or vigorous ones at least 3 times a week, for 7 months or longer

Does NOT meet SG guidelines

DOES meet SG guidelines

CRT Reliability5-level, single-response Physical Activity Item

NotMet

Ad

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istr

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n 1

Met

NotMet

Met

Administration 2

ACSM Fitness Certifications

Health/Fitness Instructor

Exercise Specialist

Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist

A Practical Health-Related Fitness Battery

• Cardiovascular enduranceRockport 1-Mile Walk Test

• Body compositionBMI and Waist/Hip girth ratio

• Abdominal powerYMCA 1-minute sit-up test

• Upper body strength and enduranceCanadian Standardized test of fitness push-up test

• Hamstring flexibilityYMCA sit-and-reach test