Description

VIG20FTP reports the time period (never, day, week, month, year) that respondents used to describe the frequency of vigorous physical activity that they engaged in for at least 20 minutes. This variable must be interpreted in conjunction with VIG20FNO, which reports the number of units corresponding to the time period in VIG20FTP. For example, a respondent who runs once a day would have a VIG20FNO value of 1 (to indicate 1 time) and a VIG20FTP value of 2 (which is the IPUMS NHIS code for "day").

VIG20FWK, a recoded variable created by the staff at the National Center for Health Statistics, draws upon the information in VIG20FTP and VIG20FNO and reports the frequency of vigorous leisure-time physical activities in terms of a single time unit, times per week.

Vigorous activities are described in the survey question itself as activities that "cause heavy sweating or large increases in breathing or heart rate." The Field Representative's Manuals for 1997 forward provide examples of vigorous leisure-time physical activities, although these examples were not routinely shared with respondents. These examples include fast walking, fast bicycling, jogging, strenuous swimming or sports play, vigorous aerobic dance, and strenuous gardening.

Comparability

VIG20FTP is only available for 1997 and is provided to allow comparability across all quarters of that year.

During the first half of 1997, due to an error of the wording of the survey question, respondents were asked how frequently they engaged in physical activities lasting a minimum of 20 minutes. This mistake was corrected beginning in quarter 3 of 1997, when the minimum duration of physical activity was lowered to 10 minutes.

To allow analysis of vigorous leisure-time physical activity across all quarters of 1997, the National Center for Health Statistics created "transitional" variables (such as VIG20FTP) that cover all quarters of 1997.

Researchers who wish to analyze data from multiple years on adults' leisure-time vigorous physical activity should restrict their data from 1997 to quarters 3 and 4 and use variables beginning with "VIG10."

Universe

Availability

• 1997

Weights

• 1997 : SAMPWEIGHT