Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparisons of Subjective and Objective Measures of Free-Living Daily Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in College Students

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To compare physical activity and sedentary behavior between four commonly used subjective and objective measures: the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (7DPAR), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), pedometer, and accelerometer.

Methods

A total of 130 college students completed four measures for the same 7 days. Body composition was measured using a bioelectric impedance analyzer. Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Spearman correlations were performed to compare estimates between activity measures. The Spearman correlations between different activity measures were further examined separately for the higher and the lower body fat groups.

Results

Compared with accelerometer-derived data, both the 7DPAR and the IPAQ overestimated light physical activity (P < 0.001) while underestimated sedentary behavior (P < 0.001). Across comparisons, the highest correlation was found between accelerometers and pedometers on steps/day (r = 0.72, P < 0.001). The 7DPAR and the IPAQ were correlated with each other for all physical activity variables and sedentary behavior (r = 0.37–0.45). There were low correlations (r = 0.20–0.47) between the 7DPAR, the IPAQ, and accelerometers in sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and vigorous physical activity. Higher correlations between different activity modalities were observed among individuals with lower body fat (r = 0.41–0.80) than among those with higher body fat (r = 0.31–0.65).

Conclusions

The 7DPAR and the IPAQ yielded comparable estimation of moderate physical activity relative to accelerometers. There were significant differences in sedentary time across activity measures. Body compositions should be considered when comparing the estimates of activity levels between subjective and objective instruments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aadland E, Ylvisåker E. Reliability of objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity in adults. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(7):e0133296.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, O'Brien WL, Bassett DR Jr, Schmitz KH, Emplaincourt PO, Jacobs DR Jr, Leon AS. Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32(9):S498–504.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Aminian S, Hinckson EA. Examining the validity of the ActivPAL monitor in measuring posture and ambulatory movement in children. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9:119.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Arem H, Moore SC, Patel A, Hartge P, Berrington de Gonzalez A, Visvanathan K, Campbell PT, Freedman M, Weiderpass E, Adami HO, Linet MS, Lee IM, Matthews CE. Leisure time physical activity and mortality: a detailed pooled analysis of the dose-response relationship. JAMA. Intern Med. 2015;175(6):959–67.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Barriera TV, Tudor-Locke C, Champagne CM, Broyles ST, Johnson WD, Katzmarzyk PT. Comparison of GT3X accelerometer and YAMAX pedometer steps/day in a free-living sample of overweight and obese adults. J Sport Health Sci. 2013;10(2):263–70.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bassett DR, Toth LP, LaMunion SR, Crouter SE. Step counting: a review of measurement considerations and health-related applications. Sports Med. 2017;47(7):1303–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Brown WJ, Miller YD, Miller R. Sitting time and work patterns as indicators of overweight and obesity in Australian adults. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003;27(11):1340–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Carlson SA, Fulton JE, Pratt M, Yang Z, Adams EK. Inadequate physical activity and health care expenditures in the United States. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2015;57(4):315–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GE. Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Rep. 1985;100(2):126–31.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Cleland CL, Hunter RF, Kee F, Cupples ME, Sallis JF, Tully MA. Validity of the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) in assessing levels and change in moderate-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviour. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:1255.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Clemes SA, Biddle SJ. The use of pedometers for monitoring physical activity in children and adolescents: measurement considerations. J Phys Act Health. 2013;10(2):249–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum; 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Dinger MK, Behrens TK, Han JL. Validity and reliability of the international physical activity questionnaire in college students. Am J Health Educ. 2006;37:337–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Dyrstad SM, Hansen BH, Holme IM, Anderssen SA. Comparison of self-reported versus accelerometer-measured physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(1):99–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Edwardson CL, Winkler EAH, Bodicoat DH, Yates T, Davies MJ, Dunstan DW, Healy GN. Considerations when using the ActivPAL monitor in field-based research with adult populations. J Sport Health Sci. 2017;6(2):162–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Finger JD, Gisle L, Mimilidis H, Santos-Hoevener C, Kruusmaa EK, Matsi A, Oja L, Balarajan M, Gray M, Kratz AL, Lange C. How well do physical activity questions perform? A European cognitive testing study. Arch of Public Health. 2015;73:57.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hart TL, Ainsworth BE, Tudor-Locke C. Objective and subjective measures of sedentary behavior and physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(3):449–56.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hayden-Wade HA, Coleman KJ, Sallis JF, Armstrong C. Validation of the telephone and in-person interview versions of the 7-day PAR. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;35:801–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare. Assessing your weight. https://www.hpa.gov.tw/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=542&pid=705 (2016).

  20. Hu FB, Li TY, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Manson JE. Television watching and other sedentary behaviors in relation to risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA. 2003;289(14):1785–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Johnson-Kozlow M, Sallis JF, Gilpin EA, Rock CL, Pierce JP. Comparative validation of the IPAQ and the 7-day PAR among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2006;3:7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Kelly LA, McMillan DE, Anderson A, Fippinger M, Fillerup G, Rider J. Validity of Actigraphs uniaxial and triaxial accelerometers for assessment of physical activity in adults in laboratory conditions. BMC Med Phys. 2013;13(1):5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Lee IM, Shiroma EJ. Using accelerometers to measure physical activity in large-scale epidemiological studies: issues and challenges. Br J Sports Med. 2014;48(3):197–201.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, Puska P, Blair SN, Katzmarzyk PT, Lancet Physical Activity Series Working Group. Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):219–29.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Liou YM, Jwo CJ, Yao KG, Chiang LC, Huang LH. Selection of appropriate Chinese terms to represent intensity and types of physical activity terms for use in the Taiwan version of IPAQ. J Nurs Res. 2008;16(4):252–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Lubans DR, Plotnikoff RC, Miller A, Scott JJ, Thompson D, Tudor-Locke C. Using pedometers for measuring and increasing physical activity in children and adolescents: the next step. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2014;9(6):418–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Magistro D, Brustio PR, Ivaldi M, Esliger DW, Zecca M, Rainoldi A, Boccia G. Validation of the ADAMO care watch for step counting in older adults. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(2):e0190753.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Matthews CE, Keadle SK, Sampson J, Lyden K, Bowles HR, Moore SC, Libertine A, Freedson PS, Fowke JH. Validation of a previous-day recall measure of active and sedentary behaviors. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013;45(8):1629–38.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Matthews CE, Welk GJ. Use of self-report instruments to assess physical activity. In: Welk GJ, editor. Physical activity assessments for health-related research. Champaign: Human Kinetics; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Metcalf KM, Baquero BI, Coronado Garcia ML, Francis SL, Janz KF, Laroche HH, Sewell DK. Calibration of the global physical activity questionnaire to accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary behavior. BMC Public Health. 2018;18:412.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Morano M, Colella D, Capranica L. Body image, perceived and actual physical abilities in normal-weight and overweight boys involved in individual and team sports. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(4):355–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Mukaka MM. Statistics corner: a guide to appropriate use of correlation coefficient in medical research. Malawi Med J. 2012;24(3):69–71.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Pate RR, O’Neill JR, Lobelo F. The evolving definition of “sedentary”. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2008;36(4):173–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Pate RR, Ross R, Dowda M, Trost SG, Sirard JR. Validation of a 3-day physical activity recall instrument in female youth. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2003;15(3):257–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Rääsk T, Mäestu J, Lätt E, Jürimäe J, Jürimäe T, Vainik U, Konstabel K. Comparison of IPAQ-SF and two other physical activity questionnaires with accelerometer in adolescent boys. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(1):e0169527.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Sallis JF, Saelens BE. Assessment of physical activity by self-report: status, limitations, and future directions. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2000;71(Suppl 2):1–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Schmidt MD, Cleland VJ, Thomson RJ, Dwyer T, Venn AJ. A comparison of subjective and objective measures of physical activity and fitness in identifying associations with cardiometabolic risk factors. Ann Epidemiol. 2008;18(5):378–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Slootmaker SM, Schuit AJ, Chinapaw MJ, Seidell JC, van Mechelen W. Disagreement in physical activity assessed by accelerometer and self-report in subgroups of age, gender, education and weight status. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2009;6:17.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Troiano RP, Berrigan D, Dodd KW, Mâsse LC, Tilert T, McDowell M. Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40(1):181–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 2008 Physical activity guidelines advisory committee report. (2008).

  41. van der Ploeg HP, Tudor-Locke C, Marshall AL, Craig C, Hagströmer M, Sjöström M, Bauman A. Reliability and validity of the international physical activity questionnaire for assessing walking. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2010;81(1):97–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. van Poppel MN, Chinapaw MJ, Mokkink LB, van Mechelen W, Terwee CB. Physical activity questionnaires for adults: a systematic review of measurement properties. Sports Med. 2010;40(7):565–600.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Welk GJ, Kim Y, Stanfill B, Osthus DA, Calabro MA, Nusser SM, Carriquiry A. Validity of 24-h physical activity recall: physical activity measurement survey. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(10):2014–24.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Wang C, Chen P, Zhuang J. Validity and reliability of international physical activity questionnaire-short form in Chinese youth. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2013;84(Suppl 2):S80–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Yang CC, Hsu YL. A review of accelerometry-based wearable motion detectors for physical activity monitoring. Sensors (Basel). 2010;10(8):7772–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the MOST 102-2410-H-041-009, Taiwan, China. We would like to acknowledge the participants and graduate students who assisted in data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Ya-Wen Hsu & You Fu

  2. Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, China

    Ya-Wen Hsu & Chia-Chang Liu

  3. Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, China

    Yen-Jung Chang

  4. Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, China

    Yi-Ju Tsai

  5. Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China

    Wan-Chi Tsai

Authors
  1. Ya-Wen Hsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chia-Chang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yen-Jung Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yi-Ju Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wan-Chi Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. You Fu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to You Fu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hsu, YW., Liu, CC., Chang, YJ. et al. Comparisons of Subjective and Objective Measures of Free-Living Daily Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in College Students. J. of SCI. IN SPORT AND EXERCISE 3, 186–194 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-019-00047-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-019-00047-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation