Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of IPAQ (short, last 7 days)

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-C). The IPAQ-C was administered three times to each participant to examine the stability and reliability of the self-reported physical activity, whilst data to examine concurrent validity were acquired over 7 consecutive days using a physical activity log (PA-log), and an MTI accelerometer. A complete set of data was obtained from 49 Chinese residents (range 15-55 years; 30 males). The total physical activity recorded by IPAQ-C was acceptably reliable (ICC of 0.79 and %CV of 26%). There was weak agreement between IPAQ-C and the total MTI-derived activity and any of its constituent sub-components. Better agreement was seen between IPAQ-C and the PA-log data, with no significant difference between average total activity (3931 and 4047 MET min week(-1), respectively, p=0.51), and a bias and LOA of 3% and 94% of the mean score, respectively. Although these statistics are not dissimilar to those reported on other self-report physical activity questionnaires, suggesting the IPAQ-C is adequately reliable and valid for the measurement of total physical activity in a Chinese population, care needs to be taken, especially as the sub-components of total activity were markedly less valid and reliable.