Citation

Winckers AN, Mackenbach JD, Compernolle S, Nicolaou M, van der Ploeg HP, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Brug J, Lakerveld J. BMC Public Health 2015; 15(1): e1299.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081, HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.lakerveld@vumc.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12889-015-2656-7

PMID

26856811

PMCID

PMC4746888

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The assessment of physical activity for surveillance or population based studies is usually done with self-report questionnaires. However, bias in self-reported physical activity may be greater in lower educated than in higher educated populations. The aim of the present study is to describe educational differences in the validity of self-reported physical activity.

METHODS: We included 196 healthy adults (age 57 ± 15.4, of whom 17 % low, 24 % medium and 59 % high educated). Criterion validity of an adapted International Physical Activity Questionnaire was assessed against the ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer.

RESULTS: While criterion validity of self-reported physical activity was low to moderate in the total sample (Spearman rho ranged from 0.16 to 0.27, depending on the variables used), the validity in lower educated respondents was poor (-0.07 to 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the hypothesis that self-report physical activity questionnaires are less valid in lower educated populations.

Language: en