Research article

Reliability and validity of the Activity Questionnaire for Adults and Adolescents (AQuAA)

Mai JM Chinapaw¹ , Sander M Slootmaker¹ , Albertine J Schuit² , Mariska van Zuidam¹ and Willem van Mechelen¹

¹  EMGO-Institute for Health and Care research, Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands

²  Division of Public Health and Health Care, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 B Bilthoven, The Netherlands

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2009, 9:58doi:10.1186/1471-2288-9-58

Published:	10 August 2009

Abstract

Background

Accurate measures of physical activity are highly needed. We evaluated the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the self-report Activity Questionnaire for Adults and Adolescents (AQuAA). The AQuAA is a commonly used questionnaire in Dutch youth.

Methods

In the test-retest reliability study, 53 adolescents and 58 adults completed the AQuAA twice, with an interval of two weeks. In the validity study, 33 adolescents and 47 adults wore an accelerometer (Actigraph) during two weeks, and subsequently completed the AQuAA.

Results

In adolescents the test-retest reliability was fair to moderate (intraclass correlations (ICCs) ranging from 0.30 to 0.59). In adults the test-retest reliability was fair to moderate for the time spent on sedentary, light and moderate intensity activities (ICCs ranging from 0.49 to 0.60), but poor for time spent on vigorous activities (ICC = -0.005). The correlations between the AQuAA and Actigraph were low and nonsignificant. Compared with the Actigraph, time spent on all physical activities was significantly higher according to the questionnaire (except for light intensity activities in adolescents), while time spent on sedentary behaviours was significantly lower.

Conclusion

Reliability of the AQuAA is fair to moderate. The validity of the AQuAA compared to an accelerometer is poor. Both adolescents and adults underestimate the time spent on sedentary behaviours and overestimate the time spent on physical activities.