Reliability and validity of a school-based physical activity questionnaire.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Child and Adolescent Health

Background:

• Accurate measurement of physical activity in school settings is crucial for public health initiatives.
• Existing tools may lack the reliability and validity needed for large-scale data collection.
• The School Health Action, Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES) questionnaire was developed for machine readability and feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the SHAPES physical activity questionnaire.
• To determine its suitability for assessing physical activity in students from grades 6 to 12.
• To assess its utility in providing data for school health planning and evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Test-retest reliability was assessed in 2812 students (grades 9-12) by administering the questionnaire twice, one week apart.
• Criterion validity was examined in 67 students (grades 6-12) using MTI accelerometers for 7 days and measuring height and weight.
• Spearman correlation and kappa coefficients were used to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• The questionnaire showed moderate test-retest reliability (mean kappa 0.57).
• Self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity correlated significantly with accelerometer data (r = 0.44), though students tended to overreport activity.
• Self-reported and measured body mass index (BMI) were highly correlated (r = 0.90), with similar weight status classifications.

Conclusions:

• The SHAPES physical activity questionnaire exhibits acceptable reliability and validity.
• It is suitable for large-scale school-based data collection among child and adolescent populations.
• Findings support its use for physical activity assessment and health program evaluation in schools.