Validation of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire for self-administration in a European context

Abstract

Background/aimLittle is known about the measurement properties of the self-administered Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in Europe. The aim was to validate the self-administered GPAQ against accelerometry in Switzerland in German, French and Italian.MethodsParticipants of this cross-sectional study were recruited among members of the Swiss Food Panel (German-speaking and French-speaking samples) and as a convenience sample (Italian-speaking sample). They completed the GPAQ and wore an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer during 7 days in 2014/2015. GPAQ and accelerometer data on total physical activity and different intensities, as well as sitting time, were compared using Spearman correlations and Bland-Altman plots.ResultsComplete data were available for 354 participants (50.6% women, mean age: 47.0 years) on physical activity, and for 366 on sitting time. Correlations were highest for vigorous physical activity (r=0.46) and sitting time (r=0.47). A significant sex difference was apparent for vigorous physical activity (men: r=0.35 vs women: r=0.55; p=0.02). Some age differences were present especially for total physical activity, with the lowest correlations found for those aged 60+ years. The correlation for sitting time was significantly higher in the youngest age group (r=0.61) compared with the middle (r=0.38, p=0.01) and the oldest age groups (r=0.37, p=0.03). Total physical activity was 2.8 times higher according to the GPAQ than to accelerometer data.ConclusionsThe self-administered version of the GPAQ showed fair-to-moderate validity in the three languages tested, both for men and women and individuals aged ≤60 years. For older individuals, a careful interpretation of total physical activity is required.

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Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and psychological wellbeing among young adults in Bangladesh: A one-year prospective study

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“…The overall cost involved in using an interviewer administered face-to-face protocol may not be feasible where studies have limited resources such as this. Moreover, a face-to-face protocol may not be time efficient (Wanner et al 2017). For example, with a face-to-face protocol, participants are required to meet and interview individually, which may be highly time consuming (Oltmann 2016).…”

“…Given this, the GPAQ self-administered format is often used in European countries to save cost and time (Wanner et al 2017). A self-administered method of the GPAQ (English version) produced comparable reliability (rs=0.61 vs. 0.63 for self vs. interviewer) and validity (rs=0.30 for self and 0.46 to the interviewer) with interviewer-administration model in adults in Singapore (Chu et al 2015).…”