Test-retest reliability and criterion validity of three self-report questionnaires for assessing physical activity...

This study aimed to examine the reliability and criterion validity of three physical activity questionnaires in Brazilian military soldiers.

A convenience sample of 109 male Air Force soldiers (18.86±0.36 years of age and 22.59±2.58 kg/m² body mass index) completed the Brazilian Portuguese versions of the two-item PACE+, the Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) and the Baecke's Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire (BHPAQ) twice (day one and six weeks after), for test-retest purposes. The criterion validity of these measures was assessed against the soldiers' cardiorespiratory fitness performance by Cooper's 12-minute run test.

The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) results indicated excellent reliability for the BHPAQ (ICC=0.85) and moderate to good reliability for the PACE+ and GSLTPAQ (ICC=0.50 and 0.63, respectively). The Bland-Altman plots demonstrated good agreement and lower bias for the PACE+ and the BHPAQ (mean differences = 1.01 and -0.06, respectively). The significant correlations with the cardiorespiratory fitness levels were only observed for PACE+ (ρ=0.22), BHPAQ sports dimension (ρ=0.29), and BHPAQ total (ρ=0.24) scores.

The BHPAQ showed to be the most suitable of these three self-report physical activity questionnaires for use in these military personnel, revealing higher test-retest reliability and criterion validity.