Assessing Physical Activity in People With Multiple Sclerosis Using Three Complimentary Approaches: Physiological, Psychological, and Medical

Current field techniques for measuring physical activity patterns and estimating energy expenditure carry several assumptions that may not be valid when applying them to persons with chronic disease and disability. In the past, publications such as Healthy People 2000 have established recommendations for physical activity for persons with chronic disability. However, it has been clearly pointed out in several papers that there is little scientific information upon which to base these recommendation. Even as we approach the issuance of Healthy People 2010, there is very little information to support recommendations for disabled individuals. A major constraint to moving forward has been the lack of understanding in applying current field technique to persons outside the normal, non-physically or psychologically impaired model. This symposium will:

1. identify the underlying assumptions associated with current field techniques that measure physical activity patterns and energy expenditure and their application to persons with a chronic disability;

2. examine the measurement of rest and sleep energy expenditure, as well as body composition in the context of estimating 24-hour energy expenditure in free-living persons with a chronic disease

3. examine the relationship of neuropsychological and cognitive co-morbidity in chronic disease, and how it effects the use of self-report instruments in measuring physical activity patterns, and

4. discuss the issue of normal movement, as well as examine how energy expenditure is effected by physical disability.

Sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs - Merit Review B747-3RS