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Validity of a short questionnaire to assess physical activity in 10 European countries

Peters, Tricia ; Brage, Soren ; Westgate, Kate ; Franks, Paul W. LU ; Gradmark, Anna ; Diaz, Maria Jose Tormo ; Huerta, Jose Maria ; Bendinelli, Benedetta ; Vigl, Mattheaus and Boeing, Heiner , et al. (2012) In European Journal of Epidemiology 27(1). p.15-25
Abstract
To accurately examine associations of physical activity (PA) with disease outcomes, a valid method of assessing free-living activity is required. We examined the validity of a brief PA questionnaire (PAQ) used in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). PA energy expenditure (PAEE) and time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured in 1,941 healthy individuals from 10 European countries using individually-calibrated combined heart-rate and movement sensing. Participants also completed the short EPIC-PAQ, which refers to past year's activity. Pearson (r) and Spearman (sigma) correlation coefficients were calculated for each country, and random effects meta-analysis was used to... (More)
To accurately examine associations of physical activity (PA) with disease outcomes, a valid method of assessing free-living activity is required. We examined the validity of a brief PA questionnaire (PAQ) used in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). PA energy expenditure (PAEE) and time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured in 1,941 healthy individuals from 10 European countries using individually-calibrated combined heart-rate and movement sensing. Participants also completed the short EPIC-PAQ, which refers to past year's activity. Pearson (r) and Spearman (sigma) correlation coefficients were calculated for each country, and random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate the combined correlation across countries to estimate the validity of two previously- and one newly-derived ordered, categorical PA indices ("Cambridge index", "total PA index", and "recreational index") that categorized individuals as inactive, moderately inactive, moderately active, or active. The strongest associations with PAEE and MVPA were observed for the Cambridge index (r = 0.33 and r = 0.25, respectively). No significant heterogeneity by country was observed for this index (I-2 = 36.3%, P = 0.12; I-2 = 0.0%, P = 0.85), whereas heterogeneity was suggested for other indices (I-2 > 48%, P < 0.05, I-2 > 47%, P < 0.05). PAEE increased linearly across self-reported PA categories (P for trend < 0.001), with an average difference of approximately 460 kJ/d for men and 365 kJ/d for women, between categories of the Cambridge index. The EPIC-PAQ is suitable for categorizing European men and women into four distinct categories of overall physical activity. The difference in PAEE between categories may be useful when estimating effect sizes from observational research. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Accelerometry, Questionnaire, Self-report, Validity, Physical activity
in
European Journal of Epidemiology
volume
27
issue
1
pages
15 - 25
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000301184300003
  • scopus:84857916936
  • pmid:22089423
ISSN
1573-7284
DOI
10.1007/s10654-011-9625-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8b970b64-2ac0-4ceb-b207-7068067c6a1f (old id 2517562)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:05:17
date last changed
2022-04-04 02:07:03
@article{8b970b64-2ac0-4ceb-b207-7068067c6a1f,
  abstract     = {{To accurately examine associations of physical activity (PA) with disease outcomes, a valid method of assessing free-living activity is required. We examined the validity of a brief PA questionnaire (PAQ) used in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). PA energy expenditure (PAEE) and time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was measured in 1,941 healthy individuals from 10 European countries using individually-calibrated combined heart-rate and movement sensing. Participants also completed the short EPIC-PAQ, which refers to past year's activity. Pearson (r) and Spearman (sigma) correlation coefficients were calculated for each country, and random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate the combined correlation across countries to estimate the validity of two previously- and one newly-derived ordered, categorical PA indices ("Cambridge index", "total PA index", and "recreational index") that categorized individuals as inactive, moderately inactive, moderately active, or active. The strongest associations with PAEE and MVPA were observed for the Cambridge index (r = 0.33 and r = 0.25, respectively). No significant heterogeneity by country was observed for this index (I-2 = 36.3%, P = 0.12; I-2 = 0.0%, P = 0.85), whereas heterogeneity was suggested for other indices (I-2 &gt; 48%, P &lt; 0.05, I-2 &gt; 47%, P &lt; 0.05). PAEE increased linearly across self-reported PA categories (P for trend &lt; 0.001), with an average difference of approximately 460 kJ/d for men and 365 kJ/d for women, between categories of the Cambridge index. The EPIC-PAQ is suitable for categorizing European men and women into four distinct categories of overall physical activity. The difference in PAEE between categories may be useful when estimating effect sizes from observational research.}},
  author       = {{Peters, Tricia and Brage, Soren and Westgate, Kate and Franks, Paul W. and Gradmark, Anna and Diaz, Maria Jose Tormo and Huerta, Jose Maria and Bendinelli, Benedetta and Vigl, Mattheaus and Boeing, Heiner and Wendel-Vos, Wanda and Spijkerman, Annemieke and Benjaminsen-Borch, Kristin and Valanou, Elisavet and Guillain, Blandine de Lauzon and Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise and Sharp, Stephen and Kerrison, Nicola and Langenberg, Claudia and Arriola, Larraitz and Barricarte, Aurelio and Gonzales, Carlos and Grioni, Sara and Kaaks, Rudolf and Key, Timothy and Khaw, Kay Tee and May, Anne and Nilsson, Peter and Norat, Teresa and Overvad, Kim and Palli, Domenico and Panico, Salvatore and Quiros, Jose Ramon and Ricceri, Fulvio and Sanchez, Maria-Jose and Slimani, Nadia and Tjonneland, Anne and Tumino, Rosario and Feskens, Edith and Riboli, Elio and Ekelund, Ulf and Wareham, Nick}},
  issn         = {{1573-7284}},
  keywords     = {{Accelerometry; Questionnaire; Self-report; Validity; Physical activity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{15--25}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Validity of a short questionnaire to assess physical activity in 10 European countries}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10654-011-9625-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10654-011-9625-y}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}