Relationship between perceptions of physical activity and health-related fitness

Objective. To assess perceptions of fitness, intensity and frequency of habitual physical activity as predictors of cardiovascular function, metabolic health and obesity. Design. Cross-sectional correlational, with covariance adjustment of data for age and socio-economic status. Setting. An urban community of some 250,000 people. Participants. Convenience sample of healthy but relatively sedentary subjects, 172 males and 178 females aged 14-68 years. Measures. Self-reports of perceived fitness, habitual activity, intensity and frequency of exercise; standard laboratory tests of cardiovascular function (resting heart rate, PWC 150/kg, systolic and diastolic blood pressure), metabolic health (blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid), obesity (body mass index, skinfolds, hydrostatic body fat, and abdominal circumferences) and socio-economic status (education, job classification and income). Results. In men, the strongest associations of fitness markers were with peer comparisons of fitness and activity. In women, such comparisons also yielded significant positive associations, but the most consistent relationships of fitness were with Godin questionnaire ratings of sweat-inducing and frequent heavy activity. Perceptions of intense activity were associated more with cardiovascular than with metabolic health. Perceptions of frequent activity (peer activity ratings, occupational walking, and the number of activities reported) were associated with control of body fat, and to a lesser extent with cardiovascular function, but were unrelated to markers of metabolic health. Conclusion. Perceptions of personal fitness, intensity and frequency of habitual activity are all associated with markers of health-related fitness after allowance for effects of gender, age and socio-economic status. The public should thus be encouraged to pursue activity that they perceive as frequent, intense and improving their fitness.