Validity of the Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire in Brazilian Children
Author Information
Author(s): Bielemann Renata M, Reichert Felipe F, Paniz Vera MV, Gigante Denise P
Primary Institution: Federal University of Pelotas
Hypothesis
The study aims to determine the validity of the Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) for assessing physical activity in Brazilian children.
Conclusion
The NPAQ did not show satisfactory validity, and physical activity levels estimated from it should be interpreted cautiously.
Supporting Evidence
- 73.2% of children achieved the recommendation of 60 min/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
- The correlation coefficient between the NPAQ and the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activities was 0.27.
- The area under the ROC curve was 0.63, indicating moderate predictive capacity.
- Children who dislike drawing or reading were more active than those who enjoy these activities.
Takeaway
This study checked if a questionnaire could accurately tell how active Brazilian kids are, but it didn't work very well.
Methodology
The study involved face-to-face interviews with mothers and the use of accelerometers to measure children's physical activity.
Potential Biases
Subjective reporting by parents may introduce bias in the assessment of children's physical activity.
Limitations
The NPAQ showed low sensitivity and specificity, and the results should be interpreted with caution due to potential misclassification.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 4 to 11 years, predominantly male, with varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04
Confidence Interval
95%CI = 67.6 - 78.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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