Self-reported recreational physical activity among women and its agreement with objectively recorded physical activity 14 weeks postpartum - a multiethnic population-based study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Postpartum physical activity (PA) levels generally increase, particularly among Western women compared to those from Middle Eastern and South Asian backgrounds. Aims of this study were to 1) describe the proportion of women participating in various types of recreational PA 14 weeks postpartum, and potential ethnic differences, and 2) determine the degree of agreement between self-reported and objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) >10 min.

Methods: Data were obtained from the multi-ethnic, population-based STORK Groruddalen cohort (2008–2010), on women who participated in at least one predefined recreational PA (n=624) and data on MVPA was objectively recorded using the SenseWear Armband™ Pro3 (SWA), worn for 4-7 days, both recorded 14 weeks postpartum. Agreement analysis included participants with ≥3 valid days of SWA data, resulting in a sample of 248 women. Ethnic origin was categorized into four groups based on the participant's or their mother's country of birth: Western Europe, South Asia, Middle East, and Other Minorities.

Results: Among 624 women, 95.1% reported recreational PA, with slow walking the most common activity (85.8%). Western women reported more brisk walking (58.2%) and gym activities (20.3%) than other groups. Agreement between self-reported and objectively measured MVPA was poor, with ICC and CCC values of 0.368 and 0.367, respectively

Conclusion: Ethnic differences in recreational PA were evident among postpartum women. The low agreement between self-reported and measured MVPA highlights the need for more accurate and culturally sensitive PA measurement tools.

Key words: Ethnicity, Physical activity, Self-reported physical activity, MVPA, Postpartum, Agreement.