ABSTRACT
Accurate measurements of physical activity are crucial to our understanding of the activity-health relationship, estimating population prevalence, identifying correlates, detecting trends, evaluating the efficacy of interventions and informing policy. Unfortunately, epidemiological assessments of physical activity are often crude, which contribute to inconsistent results. Therefore, the exact quantity, quality and type of physical activity required for health protection and to inform policy remains unclear. In fact, the expectation that public health policy is evidence-based and public health messaging (e.g., media campaigns) is well executed, are also contingent on robust measurement. The aim of this chapter is to evaluate methodologies in each above-mentioned area in an effort to develop ‘Best Practice’ in these important areas of physical activity measurement.
