Is self-reported physical fitness useful for estimating fitness levels in children and adolescents? Validity and reliability study

• Grant number: 17/15596-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Start date: September 01, 2017
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Principal Investigator: Heraclito Barbosa de Carvalho
• Grantee: Heraclito Barbosa de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/11468-6 - Design and implementation of the SAYCARE Study: South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental Study, AP.R

Abstract

Objective: Physical fitness is a health indicator; specifically, low levels of physical fitness areassociated with the development of cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was todetermine the reliability and validity (concurrent and construct) of a self-reported physical fitnessquestionnaire in South American children and adolescents. Methods: This is an observational,multicenter, feasibility study conducted with 300 children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). Toassess the reliability of the self-reported physical fitness questionnaire, measurements were taken ontwo occasions with a two-week interval between measurements. Concurrent validity was estimatedby the level of agreement between the test and re-test of the questionnaire compared to the physicaltest, and construct validity was estimated by the level of agreement between the questionnaire andhigh blood pressure. Results: The questionnaire has strong reliability and moderate internal andexternal validity for both age groups. Conclusions: The self-reported physical fitness questionnaireis a reliable, practical and inexpensive method that can be used to accurately assess the physicalfitness levels of the South American pediatric population, when objective measures are not feasible.The questionnaire presented moderate to strong concurrent and construct validity. (AU)