Validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form in Japanese Adolescents

Purpose:The validity of the Japanese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) has not been established in Japanese adolescents. This study aimed to examine the validity of the IPAQ-SF in male and female Japanese students at a National Institute of Technology. Methods: Participants wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days, and on the eighth day, they completed the IPAQ-SF to recall the physical activity performed while wearing the accelerometer. Correlation between the physical activity time reported in the IPAQ-SF and that recorded by the accelerometer was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Results: The effect size for the correlation between the two methods was “moderate” for MVPA in males and VPA in females, it was “small” for the other items, and a significant positive correlation was observed only for the MVPA in males. Conclusion: The Japanese version of the IPAQ-SF is a valid tool for evaluating moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in male adolescents.