Test-retest reliability of four physical activity measures used in population surveys

doi:10.1016/S1440-2440(04)80010-0

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport

Volume 7, Issue 2, June 2004, Pages 205-215

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1440-2440(04)80010-0 Get rights and content

Accurate monitoring of prevalence and trends in population levels of physical activity (PA) is a fundamental public health need. Test-retest reliability (repeatability) was assessed in population samples for four self-report PA measures: the Active Australia survey (AA, N=356), the short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, N=104), the physical activity items in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS, N=127) and in the Australian National Health Survey (NHS, N=122). Percent agreement and Kappa statistics were used to assess reliability of classification of activity status as ‘active’, ‘insufficiently active’ or ‘sedentary’. Intraclass correlations (ICCs) were used to assess agreement on minutes of activity reported for each item of each survey and for total minutes. Percent agreement scores for activity status were very good on all four instruments, ranging from 60% for the NHS to 79% for the IPAQ. Corresponding Kappa statistics ranged from 0.40 (NHS) to 0.52 (AA). For individual items, ICCs were highest for walking (0.45 to 0.78) and vigorous activity (0.22 to 0.64) and lowest for the moderate questions (0.16 to 0.44). All four measures provide acceptable levels of test-retest reliability for assessing both activity status and sedentariness, and moderate reliability for assessing total minutes of activity.

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Original ResearchTest-retest reliability of four physical activity measures used in population surveys

Community Health Studies

The Burden of Disease and Injury in Australia

Physical Activity and Health: A Report of The Surgeon General

Physical activity trends — United States 1990–1998

MMWR

The descriptive epidemiology of physical inactivity in adult Australians

Int. J. Epidemiol.

Physical Activity Patterns of Australian Adults

National Health Survey — Summary of Results, Australia

BRFSS Survey

Original Research
Test-retest reliability of four physical activity measures used in population surveys