Development of a physical activity and life-style questionnaire for children: a preliminary study

Introduction

The questionnaire is one of the most popular techniques used to provide information about food intake and daily lifestyle patterns in long scale population studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a modified sort questionnaire in primary school-aged children.

Methods

The instrument items were modified and translated from NCYFS I [2], RSEI [3] and TVM [4], questionnaires, in order to assess the relationship between the children’s physical activity levels, dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors, and the prevalence of childhood obesity [4] in a Child & Health Study (CHS) in Greece. The recall questionnaires, with yes or no and a 3-to-8 Likert scale format, were distributed to a total sample of 233 children (127 boys and 106 girls, aged 11 to 12 y), of eight primary schools from 4 regions. Principal components factor analysis and alpha reliability were applied for the assessment of construct validity and internal consistency of the subscales of our CHS questionnaire.

Results

The statistical procedures applied to the Greek version of our CHS questionnaire reduced the initial items from 37 to 31. In addition, we obtained an acceptable subscales coefficient of reliability, ranging from α=.74 to α=.87. The principal components factor analysis confirmed the existence of three factors that interpreted the 52.1% of the total variance.

Discussion/Conclusion

The above results support the structural validity and the reliability of the examined CHS questionnaire subscales (school-time and leisure-time physical activities; pre-school dietary habits; sedentary behaviors) was satisfactory. Thus, the Child & Health Study questionnaire should be considered as a valid, reliable and easy to administer instrument for life style behaviors in primary school-aged children.

References

[1]. Ross J. G. & Gilbert G.G (1985). J. Phys. Educ. Recreation Dance, 56, 43-90.
[2]. Rosenberg M. (1979). Conceiving the self. New York. Basic Books.
[3]. Gortmaker S.L. et al (1996). Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med., 150, 356-362.
[4]. World Health Organization (1998). WHO Report, Geneva, Switzerland