Dr. David R. Bassett, Jr.

Dr. David Bassett teaches a variety of courses including Exercise Physiology, Fitness Testing and Exercise Prescription, Clinical Exercise Physiology and Recent Topics in Obesity Research.

Dr. Bassett's main research interest is measuring physical activity and energy expenditure in humans, especially with objective methods (as opposed to questionnaires). He has conducted a number of studies on the validity and reliability of pedometers, accelerometers, and heart rate monitors, in order to improve on existing methods of assessing physical activity in free-living people. In many of these studies, respiratory gas exchange is used to measure Calorie expenditure; this provides a convenient “gold standard” for comparison purposes.

Dr. Bassett has used pedometers to measure walking activity in different populations. He and his students have collected data on groups ranging from school children to sedentary, middle-aged adults to Amish farmers. They are exploring the relationships of pedometer-determined values of “steps per day” to body weight, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular risk factors.  A number of studies conducted in our laboratory have examined the benefits of walking and swimming for weight loss, blood pressure reduction, and glucose tolerance.

Dr. Bassett has co-authored papers on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) with Dr. Ed Howley.  These include a review paper on criteria for attainment of maximal oxygen uptake, and two reviews on the determinants of maximal oxygen uptake, and the role of this variable in determining performance in distance running.  In 2000, Dr. Bassett traveled to Cambridge University to access materials stored in the Churchill Archives, and wrote a historical piece on the scientific contributions of A.V. Hill, a Nobel Prize winner who did pioneering work in exercise physiology.

Dr. Bassett directs the UT Applied Physiology Laboratory within the department.  He is co-director of the Obesity Research Center at UT (with Dr. Naima Moustaid-Moussa).  More information about this center can be found at: http://obesity.tennessee.edu/

He serves on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) board of trustees and the science advisory board of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.  He serves on the editorial board of two journals (Journal of Applied Physiology and Journal of Physical Activity and Health), and he will soon join the editorial staff of Research Digest. 

Dr. Bassett obtained the Bachelor of Science degree from Oberlin College (1981), the M.S. degree from Ball State University (1983), and the Ph.D. degreee from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1988).  His research has been funded by the American Heart Association, International Life Sciences Institute, and National Institutes of Health.

Selected Publications
Bassett DR Jr, Howley ET.  Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:70-84, 2000.

Bassett DR Jr, Cureton A, Ainsworth BE.  "Accuracy of the College Alumni Questionnaire in Assessing Daily Walking Distance."  Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:1018-1023, 2000.

Bassett DR Jr.  Validity and reliability issues in objective monitoring of physical activity. Res Q Exerc Sport 71(2):30-36, 2000.

Bassett DR Jr, Ainsworth BE, Strath S, Swartz A, O’Brien W, King GA.  Validity of 4 motion sensors in measuring energy cost of moderate-intensity activities in the field. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32: S471-S480, 2000.

Ainsworth BE., Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, O’Brien WL, Bassett DR Jr, Schmitz KH, Hendelman D, Emplaincourt PO, Jacobs DR, Leon AS.  Compendium of Physical Activities: An Update of Activity Codes and MET Intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc  32:S457-464, 2000.

Bassett, DR Jr, Howley ET, Thompson DL, King GA, Strath SJ, McLaughlin JE, Parr BB.  Validity of inspiratory and expiratory methods of measuring gas exchange with a computerized metabolic system.”  J Appl Physiol 19:218-224, 2001.

Moreau KL, DeGarmo R, Langley J, McMahon C, Howley ET, Bassett DR Jr,  Thompson DL. Increasing Daily Walking Lowers Blood Pressure in Postmenopausal Women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33(11):1825-1831, 2001.

Bassett DR Jr, Fitzhugh G, Crespo C, King GA, McLaughlin JE, and Nelson D.  Physical Activity and Ethnic Differences in Hypertension Prevalence in the United States. Prev Medicine 34:179-186, 2002.

Bassett DR Jr.  Scientific Contributions of A.V. Hill: Exercise Physiology Pioneer.  J Appl Physiol 93:1567-1582, 2002.

Crouter SE, Schneider PL, Karabult M, Bassett DR.  Validity of ten electronic pedometers for measuring steps, distance and kcals during treadmill walking. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35:1455-1460, 2003.

Schneider PL, Crouter SE, Bassett DR.  Accuracy and reliability of ten pedometers for measuring steps over a 400-m walk. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35:1770-1784, 2003.

Swartz AM, Strath SJ, Bassett DR Jr. Moore JB, Redwine BA, Groër M, Thompson DL.  Increasing daily walking improves glucose tolerance in overweight women.  Prev. Medicine 37(4):356-362, 2003. 

Bassett, DR Jr, Schneider PL, Huntington GE.  Physical activity in an Old Order Amish community. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36: 79-85, 2004.

Tudor-Locke C, Bassett DR. How many steps are enough? Pedometer-determined physical activity indices. Sports Med 34(1):1-8, 2004.

Schneider PL, Crouter SE, Lukajic O, Bassett DR.  Pedometer measures of free-living physical activity: comparison of 13 models. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36(2):331-5, 2004.

Crouter SE, Albright C, Bassett DR.  Accuracy of Polar S410 Heart Rate Monitor to Estimate Energy Cost of Exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36(8):1433-1439, 2004.

Crouter SE, Schneider PL, Bassett DR. Spring-levered versus piezo-electric pedometer accuracy in overweight and obese adults.  Med. Sci. Sports Exerc.  37:1673-1679, 2005.

Crouter, S.E., Clowers K.G. and Bassett D.R. A novel method for using accelerometer data to predict energy expenditure.  J Appl Physiol 100:1324-1331, 2006.

Schneider PL, Bassett DR, Thompson DL, Pronk NP, Bielak KM.  Effects of a 10,000 steps per day goal in overweight adults. Am J Health Promotion 21:85-89, 2006.

Bassett DR, Tremblay MS, Esliger DW, Copeland JL, Barnes JD, Huntington G.E.  Physical activity and body mass index of children in an Old-Order Amish Community.  Med Sci Sports Exerc  39:410-415, 2007.

Contact Information

Dr. David R. Bassett Jr.
Professor

1914 Andy Holt Ave
325 HPER Bldg.
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700

Phone: 865-974-8766
Email: dbassett@utk.edu

Contact the Department of Exercise, Sport, and Leisure Studies

1914 Andy Holt Ave.
322 HPER Bldg.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700

Phone: 865-974-3340
Fax: 865-974-8981