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The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): a study of concurrent and construct validity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Maria Hagströmer ,
Pekka Oja  and
Michael Sjöström
Maria Hagströmer*
Affiliation:
Unit for Preventive Nutrition – Novum, Department of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 57 Huddinge, Sweden Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurotec, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Pekka Oja
Affiliation:
Unit for Preventive Nutrition – Novum, Department of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
Michael Sjöström
Affiliation:
Unit for Preventive Nutrition – Novum, Department of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
*
*Corresponding author: Email maria.hagstromer@prevnut.ki.se
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Abstract

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Introduction

The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was developed to measure health-related physical activity (PA) in populations. The short version of the IPAQ has been tested extensively and is now used in many international studies. The present study aimed to explore the validity characteristics of the long-version IPAQ.

Subjects and methods

Forty-six voluntary healthy male and female subjects (age, mean±standard deviation: 40.7±10.3 years) participated in the study. PA indicators derived from the long, self-administered IPAQ were compared with data from an activity monitor and a PA log book for concurrent validity, and with aerobic fitness, body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat for construct validity.

Results

Strong positive relationships were observed between the activity monitor data and the IPAQ data for total PA (ρ = 0.55, P < 0.001) and vigorous PA (ρ = 0.71, P < 0.001), but a weaker relationship for moderate PA (ρ = 0.21, P = 0.051). Calculated MET-h day−1 from the PA log book was significantly correlated with MET-h day−1 from the IPAQ (ρ = 0.67, P < 0.001). A weak correlation was observed between IPAQ data for total PA and both aerobic fitness (ρ = 0.21, P = 0.051) and BMI (ρ = 0.25, P = 0.009). No significant correlation was observed between percentage body fat and IPAQ variables. Bland–Altman analysis suggested that the inability of activity monitors to detect certain types of activities might introduce a source of error in criterion validation studies.

Conclusions

The long, self-administered IPAQ questionnaire has acceptable validity when assessing levels and patterns of PA in healthy adults.

Keywords

Activity monitorAerobic capacityAnthropometryAssessment methodologyLog book
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 9 , Issue 6 , September 2006 , pp. 755 - 762
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2006

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