The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of child and adult cut-points on physical activity (PA) intensity, the prevalence of meeting PA guidelines, and association with selected health outcomes. Participants (6,578 adults greater than or equal to 18 years, and 3,174 children and adolescents less than or equal to 17 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-06 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006) wore an accelerometer for 7 days. PA intensity was estimated with 5 child-derived and 12 adult-derived cut-points. For all, the cut-point influenced PA intensity and the prevalence of meeting PA guidelines. Similarly, cut-point selection influenced the relationship between physical activity and various health outcomes. Future research should further enhance meaningful cut-points relevant to populations with diverse health and age profiles.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/carlos_crespo/12/