The Dijon Physical Activity Score: reproducibility and correlation with exercise testing in healthy elderly subjects]

PURPOSE: To validate a French physical activity score for current use in healthy elderly people. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A brief questionnaire was developed for healthy elderly subjects older than 72 years. Questions asked about self-assessed physical fitness (1), daily activity (2), leisure and sport activity (5) and rest time (1). Correlations were searched between the score and several parameters of physical fitness: maximal exercise stress test (peak VO(2)), six-minute walk test, 200-meter long walk test, timed up an go test. RESULTS: A total of 57 subjects were studied (mean age, 77.6 +/-3.6 years; 28 females and 29 males). The mean time to complete the questionnaire was 3.96 minutes. Reproducibility was 0.606, as determined by Spearman's coefficient. Correlations were found between the physical activity score and peak VO(2) (0.302, P <0.05) and peak power (0.257, P <0.10). CONCLUSIONS: This easily obtained physical activity score provides a new way to assess physical activity in active elderly subjects. The physical score correlated in part with maximal ability but must be validated in several diseases.