To Identify and Compare ActivPAL Objectively Measured Activity Levels With Self-Reported Activity From the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in Older Adults With Intellectual Disability.
Louise Lynch, Mary McCarron, Philip McCallion and 1 others
PMID 39622078WHAT IT FOUND
Self-reported activity questionnaires badly misrepresent real movement in older adults with intellectual disability.
They overestimate vigorous activity by 93% and underestimate mild activity by 57% compared to wearable sensors. Use objective measures, not patient recall, to assess baseline fitness.
Key findings
01The self-report questionnaire overestimated vigorous activity time by almost 93% (23 min reported vs 1.6 min measured) and underestimated mild activity time by approximately 57% (22 min reported vs 51 min measured).
02Objective measurement showed all participants were sedentary or low active, with mean daily activity at 32.5 METs, which is representative of sedentary or light activity range.
03Statistical agreement between the two methods was weak, with significant differences confirmed by paired t-tests and a moderate effect size (Cohen's d = -0.798).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The activPAL subset (n=72) was not fully representative of the larger group (n=739). The activPAL group had more females, fewer people with Down syndrome, and fewer people with severe/profound intellectual disability compared to the total sample. Data collection ceased prematurely in March 2020 due to the pandemic, which may have affected the number of valid days recorded (minimum 1 day, maximum 6 days). Almost 32% of responses were from proxy respondents (carers), which may introduce bias in self-report accuracy. The study compared a 7-day recall questionnaire against a variable number of days of accelerometer wear (mean valid days not explicitly stated as 7 for all, though 3-4 is recommended).
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Health Research Board. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that patients who report 'moderate' or 'vigorous' activity on questionnaires are actually performing it at those intensities. The study shows these reports are often inflated by 30-93%, while true activity is predominantly sedentary or light. Relying on these scores may lead to under-prescribing support for increasing basic movement levels.