Validity of two physical activity questionnaires (IPAQ and PAQA) for Vietnamese adolescents in rural and urban areas
2008

Validity of Physical Activity Questionnaires for Vietnamese Adolescents

Sample size: 275 publication 10 minutes Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Lachat Carl K, Verstraeten Roosmarijn, Khanh Le Nguyen Bao, Hagströmer Maria, Khan Nguyen Cong, Van Nguyen Do Anh, Dung Nguyen Quang, Kolsteren Patrick W

Primary Institution: Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium

Hypothesis

The study aims to compare the validity of the IPAQ and PAQA questionnaires for assessing physical activity in Vietnamese adolescents.

Conclusion

Both questionnaires have a similar and overall poor validity for use as population instruments in Vietnam.

Supporting Evidence

  • Reliability of both questionnaires was poor for both the IPAQ and the PAQA.
  • Criterion validity of both questionnaires was acceptable but lower in rural areas.
  • Both forms poorly estimated time spent on light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity.

Takeaway

The study tested two questionnaires to see how well they measure physical activity in Vietnamese teens, but both were found to be not very reliable.

Methodology

Adolescents completed the IPAQ and PAQA questionnaires, and their responses were compared with data from accelerometers over a week.

Potential Biases

Potential biases due to self-reporting and differences in understanding of the questions between urban and rural adolescents.

Limitations

The reliability and validity of both questionnaires were poor, especially in rural areas.

Participant Demographics

Participants were 16-year-old adolescents from rural and urban areas in Vietnam.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.032

Confidence Interval

95% CI

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1479-5868-5-37

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