Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn. 2009 39(2): 23-31

Variability of selected indicators of physical activity in a randomized sample of the Czech population between the years 2003-2006: Results from the short and long self administered format of the IPAQ questionnaire

Erik Sigmund, Dagmar Sigmundová, Josef Mitáš, František Chmelík, Jana Vašíčková, Karel Frömel

Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc

Background: The effort to gain worldwide data on the levels of physical activity (PA) of different populations, which would be comparable, led to the creation and standardization of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

Objective: The main goal of this study is to determine the variability of PA indicators of two equivalent forms of the Czech self administered format of the IPAQ questionnaire applied in a randomized sample of the Czech population between the years 2003-2006.

Methods: A randomized sample of 11277 (5683 females and 5594 males) of the Czech population aged 15-69 took part in the study. The short self administered format of the IPAQ was applied in 2066 women and 1976 men in Fall 2003 and Spring 2004. The long self administered format of the IPAQ (or as a part of the ANEWS questionnaire) was applied to 1688 women and 1689 men in Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 (or in 1929 women and 1929 men in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006). Individual samples of respondents were randomized according to sex, age, and size of the location of residence in compliance with the data from the Czech Statistical Office (www.czso.cz).

Results: There are no significant differences found between men and women in MET-minutes/week in total PA, transportation PA, job related PA and walking as shown by the separately applied long self administered format of the IPAQ and the ANEWS questionnaire (inc. long format of IPAQ). In the self administered format of the IPAQ, we have found both in men and women lower values of total PA (p < 0.0001) than in the long self administered format of the IPAQ or the ANEWS questionnaire. No differences between the values of MET-minutes/week for walking and sitting both in men and women on working days were found in the different forms of the IPAQ questionnaire.

Conclusions: Having used the equivalent forms of the short or long Czech self administered format of the IPAQ questionnaire, we have not found any differences between MET-minutes/week for walking and sitting on working days. The long self administered format of the IPAQ provides more detailed results on PA. However, the value of total PA is significantly higher than that obtained using the short self administered format of the IPAQ. In order to obtain more exact data on PA, we recommend using the long self administered format of the IPAQ simultaneously with pedometer or accelerometer PA monitoring.

Keywords: MET-minutes/week, walking, sitting, short and long IPAQ format

Prepublished online: February 2, 2010; Published: March 1, 2009  Show citation