Psychometric Properties of the Online International Physical Activity Questionnaire in College Students.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the restrictions imposed to control the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in studies based on online surveys. However, there are important concerns about the validity and generalizability of results from online surveys. Thus, we aimed to test the reliability and validity of the online version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF) among college students from low-income regions. METHODS: This was a methodological feasibility study with a random stratified sample from a college located in the state of Maranhão in the city of Imperatriz (Brazil). The sample consisted of 195 college students (at least 17 years of age) to evaluate the validity and 117 students to evaluate the reliability. All data were collected in a self-reported online format (via Google Forms) twice, with an interval of 2 weeks. We used Spearman's correlation analysis for the reliability study. Additionally, we applied exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the structural validity. RESULTS: The questionnaire showed acceptable (rho > 0.30) and significant (p < 0.05) reliability, except for the question about the duration of sitting time on a weekend day. When assessing the construct validity (exploratory analysis), we identified a single factor that explained 88.8% of the variance. The 1-factor model showed acceptable model fit (SRMR = 0.039; CFI = 0.96; TLI = 0.90) in confirmatory analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The online version of the IPAQ-SF has acceptable reliability among college students from low-income regions and maintains the structure of the construct regarding to physical activity.

Intra-observer reliability of the anthropometric measurements in South American children and adolescents: the SAYCARE Study.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) feasibility study aims to develop valid and reliable indicators to investigate health-related behavior and nutritional status in children and adolescents. Anthropometric measurements are one of the evaluated indicators in the study. The accuracy of the anthropometric data is very important and relies in the quality of the measurements. Objective: to describe the intra-observer reliability of ten anthropometric measurements: weight, height, circumferences (neck, arm, waist, hip) and skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, biceps and suprailiac) of children and adolescents from six South American cities: Lima, Medellin, Montevideo, Santiago, San Pablo and Teresina. Methods: prior to the study, fieldworkers from the seven centers participated in central training to ensure the application of standardized procedures in the anthropometric measurements. Intra-observer precision, technical error of measurement (TEM) and coefficient of reliability (R) were estimated for each measurement. Results: reliability of weight and height was above 99% in almost all cities. TEM for skinfold thickness was below 1.4 mm in children and 2.13 mm in adolescents, while reliability was above 95% in most of the skinfold measurements. TEM for circumferences was below 1.8 cm in children and 0.64 cm in adolescents, while reliability was above 99% in almost all circumferences. Conclusions: reliability of the anthropometric measurements in this study was high. In comparison with similar European or American studies, the reliability of the measurements taken in our study was, in most cases, similar or even higher.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: el estudio piloto South American Youth/Child cARdiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) tiene como objetivo desarrollar indicadores válidos y confiables para investigar el estado nutricional y las conductas vinculadas a la salud en niños y adolescentes. Uno de estos indicadores son las mediciones antropométricas. La precisión de los datos antropométricos es muy importante y se basa en la calidad con que se toman las mediciones. Objetivos: describir la confiabilidad intraobservador de diez mediciones antropométricas: peso, talla, circunferencias (cuello, brazo, cintura, cadera) y pliegues (trÍceps, subscapular, bÍceps y suprailIaco) de niños y adolescentes de seis ciudades de Sudamérica: Lima, Medellín, Montevideo, Santiago, San Pablo and Teresina. Métodos: previo al estudio, los trabajadores de campo de los seis centros participaron de un entrenamiento centralizado, para asegurar la aplicación de procedimientos estandarizados en la toma de las mediciones antropométricas. Para determinar la precisión intraobservador, se estimó el error técnico de medición (TEM) y el coeficiente de confiabilidad (R) para cada medición. Resultados: la confiabilidad de las medidas de peso y la talla estuvo por encima del 99% en casi todas las ciudades. El TEM para el grosor de los pliegues estuvo debajo de 1,4 mm en los niños y de 2,13 mm en los adolescentes, mientras que la confiabilidad fue superior al 95% en la mayoría de las mediciones de los pliegues. El TEM para las circunferencias estuvo por debajo de 1,8 cm en los niños y de 0,64 cm en los adolescentes, mientras que la confiabilidad fue superior al 99% en casi todas las circunferencias. Conclusiones: la confiabilidad de las mediciones antropométricas en este estudio fue alta. Comparada con estudios similares realizados en Europa y Estados Unidos, la confiabilidad de las medidas tomadas en nuestro estudio es, en la mayoría de los casos, similar o aún más elevada.