A streamlined, enhanced self-report physical activity measure for young adults
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
9-2-2016
Abstract
Many health promotion practitioners and researchers use the self-report International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to estimate physical activity (PA) level. Reporting days/week and minutes/day engaging in PA can be challenging for participants. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a streamlined, enhanced scoring method of the IPAQ that could reduce participant burden and improve research reporting. IPAQ data from 1471 U.S. university students (79% White, 58% female) at 8 universities were scored using IPAQ traditional short-form scoring algorithm (IPAQ-TSA) to generate metabolic equivalents (METS/minute/week) and an IPAQ Streamlined Scoring Algorithm (IPAQ-SSA) without minutes/day using weighted exercise intensity and days/week. IPAQ-TSA and IPAQ-SSA measures categorize participants into high, moderate, or low PA level based on their PA patterns. Spearman rank correlations between IPAQ-SSA and IPAQ METS (r = 0.69, p < 0.001) were moderate. Correlations between IPAQ-TSA and IPAQ-SSA categories were strong (r = 0.71, p < 0.001), but χ2 tests revealed significantly lower proportion of participants in IPAQ-TSA low PA level than IPAQ-SSA (2.7 vs. 43.5%) suggesting IPAQ-TSA may overestimate PA. In conclusion, the IPAQ-SSA is shorter, eliminates recall bias of reporting minutes/day of PA, and may be sufficiently descriptive of PA, which would be helpful for health promotion practitioners and researchers. However, validation with objective PA measures is warranted.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
International Journal of Health Promotion and Education
Volume
54
Issue
5
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Quick, Virginia, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Suzanne Shoff, Adrienne A. White, Barbara Lohse, Tanya Horacek, Kendra Kattelmann, Beatrice Phillips, Sharon Hoerr, and Geoffrey Greene. "A streamlined, enhanced self-report physical activity measure for young adults." International Journal of Health Promotion and Education 54, 5 (2016): 245-254. doi: 10.1080/14635240.2016.1169941.