Physical Activity as a Vital Sign

Fewer than 10% of Americans were meeting physical activity guidelines as of 2008, meaning most patients in U.S. clinical settings are sedentary by national standards. Failing to assess physical activity risks missing a critical variable in disease prevention and chronic disease management. Physical activity should be recorded in clinical encounters alongside traditional vital signs because it is an equally meaningful general indicator of physical condition. Administering the PAVS questionnaire adds approximately 30 seconds to a clinical encounter.