Lessons Learned After 10 Years of IPAQ Use in Brazil and Colombia

Abstract

Background:To describe the lessons learned after 10 years of use of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in Brazil and Colombia, with special emphasis on recommendations for future research in Latin America using this instrument.Methods:We present an analytical commentary, based on data from a review of the Latin American literature, as well as expert consultation and the authors' experience in administering IPAQ to over 43,000 individuals in Brazil and Colombia between 1998 and 2008.Results:Validation studies in Latin America suggest that the IPAQ has high reliability and moderate criteria validity in comparison with accelerometers. Cognitive interviews suggested that the occupational and housework sections of the long IPAQ lead to confusion among respondents, and there is evidence that these sections generate overestimated scores of physical activity. Because the short IPAQ considers the 4 physical activity domains altogether, people tend to provide inaccurate answers to it as well.Conclusions:Use of the leisure-time and transport sections of the long IPAQ is recommended for surveillance and studies aimed at documenting physical activity levels in Latin America. Use of the short IPAQ should be avoided, except for maintaining consistency in surveillance when it has already been used at baseline.

Convergent validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): meta-analysis

“…In order to clarify this gap between MPA and VPA, IPAQ offers some examples of activity according to MET values for each type of intensity; however, different perceived exertions may exist with respect to the specific examples given by IPAQ considering that IPAQ covers a broad range of ages from 15 to 69 years. Hallal et al (8) noted that specific examples linked to physiological signs or culturally adapted examples should be provided to aid participants in distinguishing MPA from VPA; we suggest that stratifying age-relevant examples would be beneficial to obtain more valid measures for MPA and VPA. In IPAQ, participants are instructed to report time spent in MPA that lasted for at least 10 min except while walking, which is asked in separate questions.…”

“…Interviewer administration may have several advantages in that it prevent respondents from skipping questions and also could provide more opportunities to obtain more detailed information on each question v. the self-administrated questionnaire (7) . Moreover, it allows the researchers to obtain more reliable estimates of PA levels among less educated populations who cannot fully understand the context being asked (8) . Despite the benefits of interviewer administration, the self-reported approach may be more preferred in a large epidemiological study due to time or budget limitations; however, there would be a strong possibility to obtain more accurate measures of PA when an interviewer administered the IPAQ.…”

Niveles de actividad física de la población colombiana: desigualdades por sexo y condición socioeconómica

“…Se analizaron los dominios de tiempo libre y transporte, los cuales tienen una mayor validez en poblaciones de América Latina (22,23).…”

“…Para medir la actividad física se utilizó la versión larga del cuestionario internacional sobre actividad física (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ) desarrollado por la OMS (22)(23)(24). Este instrumento se recomienda para la medición de la actividad física en encuestas de población, principalmente en zonas urbanas (22,23).…”

“…Este instrumento se recomienda para la medición de la actividad física en encuestas de población, principalmente en zonas urbanas (22,23). La estructura de los dominios del IPAQ usada en la ENSIN, 2010, fue igual a la utilizada en la ENSIN, 2005, con el fin de garantizar la comparación de los datos.…”