Background

In our country the Spanish short version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (VREM) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in elderly people (IPAQ-E) are considered useful tools for estimating the amount of physical activity (PA) performed by the geriatric population. However, few studies have been carried out on their psychometric properties. Therefore, this research aims to provide information on their convergent validity by analysing the degree of association that both questionnaires show with physical fitness level.

Material and Methods

A total of 105 people (mean age: 76.77 (SD=6.01) years; 84.8% women), answered both questionnaires and performed the Senior Fitness Test (SFT), in order to assess their physical fitness level.

Results

Significant correlations were found between the SFT and the VREM items related to energy expenditure derived from walking (r=0.227) or from performing sports activities or dancing (r=0.235), and the estimated total energy expenditure (r=0.314). The IPAQ-E did not establish significant associations with any of the variables analysed. Although a certain a priori correlation was observed between the VREM and the IPAQ-E (r=0.447, p<0.001) and the mean difference between both parameters was nil (p=0.553), it was considered that the questionnaires showed a lack of agreement due to the great width found in the range of differences.

Conclusions

The use of the VREM questionnaire is recommended for estimating the amount of PA performed by the geriatric population, as it shows a certain degree of association, albeit weak, with the level of physical fitness.