Citation

Voss C, Ogunleye AA, Sandercock GR. Pediatr. Int. 2013; 55(4): 498-507.

Affiliation

University of Essex, Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Japan Pediatric Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/ped.12092

PMID

23461812

Abstract

METHODS: The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (PAQ-C/-A) provide general estimates of physical activity levels. Following recent expert recommendations for using the PAQ for population surveillance, the aim of this paper was two-fold: first, to describe normative PAQ data for English youth; and second, to derive criterion-referenced PAQ-score cut-point. METHODS: Participants (n = 7226, 53% boys, 10-15 yrs) completed an anglicised version of the PAQ. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak ) was predicted from PACER lap count according to latest FITNESSGRAMTM standards and categorised into 'at-risk' and 'no-risk' for metabolic syndrome. ROC curves were drawn for each age-sex-group to identify PAQ-scores which categorised youth into 'sufficiently active' versus 'low active' groups, using cardiorespiratory fitness as the criterion-referenced standard. RESULTS: PAQ-scores were higher in boys than in girls and declined with age. Mean PAQ-score was a significant, albeit relatively weak (AUCs < 0.7) discriminator between 'at-risk' and 'no-risk'. PAQ-scores of ≥2.9 for boys and ≥2.7 for girls were identified as cut-points, although it may be more appropriate to use lower, age-specific PAQ-scores for girls of 13, 14 and 15 yrs (2.6, 2.4, 2.3, respectively). CONCLUSION: The normative and criterion-referenced PAQ-values may be used to standardise and categorise PAQ-scores in future youth population studies.

Language: en