Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Archives of Public Health
Published in: Archives of Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Methodology

Development of the European Health Interview Survey - Physical Activity Questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) to monitor physical activity in the European Union

Authors: Jonas D. Finger, Jean Tafforeau, Lydia Gisle, Leila Oja, Thomas Ziese, Juergen Thelen, Gert B. M. Mensink, Cornelia Lange

Published in: Archives of Public Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

A domain-specific physical activity questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) was developed in the framework of the second wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). This article presents the EHIS-PAQ and describes its development and evaluation processes.

Methods

Research institutes from Belgium, Estonia and Germany participated in the Improvement of the EHIS (ImpEHIS) Grant project issued by Eurostat. The instrument development process comprised a non-systematic literature review and a systematic HIS/HES database search for physical activity survey questions. The developed EHIS-PAQ proposal was reviewed by survey experts. Cognitive testing of the EHIS-PAQ was conducted in Estonia and Germany. The EHIS-PAQ was further tested in a pilot survey in Belgium, Estonia and Germany in different modes of data collection, face-to-face paper and pencil interview (PAPI) and computer assisted telephone interview (CATI).

Results

The EHIS-PAQ is a rather pragmatic tool aiming to evaluate how far the population is physically active in specific public health relevant settings. It assesses work-related, transport-related and leisure-time physical activity in a typical week. Cognitive testing revealed that the EHIS-PAQ worked as intended. The pilot testing showed the feasibility of using the EHIS-PAQ in an international health interview survey setting in Europe. It will be implemented in all 28 European Union Member States via European Union implementing regulation in the period between 2013 and 2015. This will be a first opportunity to get comparable data on domain-specific physical activity in all 28 EU MS and to publish indicators at the EU level.

Conclusions

The EHIS-PAQ is a short, domain-specific PA questionnaire based on PA questions which have been used in large-scale health interview surveys before. It was designed by considering the respondents’ perspective in answering PA questions.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
2.
Verschuuren M, Gissler M, Kilpelainen K, Tuomi-Nikula A, Sihvonen A-P, Thelen J, et al. Public health indicators for the EU: the joint action for ECHIM (European Community Health Indicators & Monitoring). Arch Pub Health. 2013;71(1):12.
3.
World Health Organization. Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. Geneva: WHO Press; 2009.
4.
Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjostrom M, Bauman AE, Booth ML, Ainsworth BE, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;35(8):1381–95.
5.
Robert Koch Institue (Berlin), Scientific Institute of Public Health (Brussels), National Institut for Health Development (Estonia). Revised Interim Report EHIS-Project: Improvement of the EHIS modules. Berlin: Robert Koch Institute; 2011.
6.
Bull FC, Maslin TS, Armstrong T. Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ): nine country reliability and validity study. J Phys Act Health. 2009;6(6):790–804.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Finger JD, Gisle L, Mimilidis H, Kruusmaa E, Matsi A, Oja L, et al. Final Report: Improvement of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) modules on alcohol consumption, physical activity and mental health (Grant Project of the European Commission/Eurostat n° 10501.2099.007-2009.890). Berlin: Robert Koch Institute; 2011.
8.
Finger JD, Gisle L, Mimilidis H, Santos-Hoevener C, Kruusmaa EK, Matsi A, et al. How well do physical activity questions perform? A European cognitive testing study. Arch Pub Health. 2015. doi: 10.​1186/​s13690-015-0109-5.
9.
Chinapaw MJ, Mokkink LB, van Poppel MN, van Mechelen W, Terwee CB. Physical activity questionnaires for youth: a systematic review of measurement properties. Sports Med. 2010;40(7):539–63.CrossRefPubMed
10.
van Poppel MN, Chinapaw MJ, Mokkink LB, van Mechelen W, Terwee CB. Physical activity questionnaires for adults: a systematic review of measurement properties. Sports Med. 2010;40(7):565–600.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Forsén L, Loland NW, Vuillemin A, Chinapaw MJ, van Poppel MN, Mokkink LB, et al. Self-administered physical activity questionnaires for the elderly. Sports Med. 2010;40(7):601–23.
12.
13.
Ainsworth BE, Caspersen CJ, Matthews CE, Mâsse LC, Baranowski T, Zhu W. Recommendations to improve the accuracy of estimates of physical activity derived from self report. J Phys Act Health. 2012;9(0 1):S76.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
14.
Howley E. Type of activity: resistance, aerobic and leisure versus occupational physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(6):S364.CrossRefPubMed
15.
16.
17.
Evenson KR, McGinn AP. Test-retest reliability of adult surveillance measures for physical activity and inactivity. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28(5):470–8.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Yore MM, Bowles HR, Ainsworth BE, Macera CA, Kohl III HW. Single versus multiple item questions on occupational physical activity. J Phys Act Health. 2006;3(1):102–11.CrossRef
19.
Kwak L, Proper KI, Hagströmer M, Sjöström M. The repeatability and validity of questionnaires assessing occupational physical activity-a systematic review. Environment & Health: Scandinavian Journal of Work; 2011. p. 37(1).
20.
Haskell WL, Lee I-M, Pate RR, Powell KE, Blair SN, Franklin BA, et al. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116(9):1081.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Bauman AE, Reis RS, Sallis JF, Wells JC, Loos RJ, Martin BW. Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not? Lancet. 2012;380(9838):258–71.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Bauman AE. Updating the evidence that physical activity is good for health: an epidemiological review 2000–2003. Aust J Sci Med Sport. 2004;7(1 Suppl):6–19.CrossRef
26.
Burton NW, Turrell G. Occupation, hours worked, and leisure-time physical activity. Prev Med. 2000;31(6):673–81.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Chau JY, van der Ploeg HP, Merom D, Chey T, Bauman AE. Cross-sectional associations between occupational and leisure-time sitting, physical activity and obesity in working adults. Prev Med. 2011;54(3–4):195–200.PubMed
28.
Seiluri T, Lahti J, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E, Lallukka T. Changes in occupational class differences in leisure-time physical activity: a follow-up study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:14.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Finger JD, Tylleskar T, Lampert T, Mensink GB. Physical activity patterns and socioeconomic position: the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). BMC Public Health. 2012;12:1079.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
30.
WHO Regional Office for Europe. Health 2020 policy framework and strategy. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2012.
31.
Thorp AA, Owen N, Neuhaus M, Dunstan DW. Sedentary behaviors and subsequent health outcomes in adults a systematic review of longitudinal studies, 1996–2011. Am J Prev Med. 2011;41(2):207–15.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Chau JY, Grunseit AC, Chey T, Stamatakis E, Brown WJ, Matthews CE, et al. Daily sitting time and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e80000.
33.
Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, Meckes N, Bassett Jr DR, Tudor-Locke C, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575–81.
34.
35.
Dahl-Petersen IK, Hansen AW, Bjerregaard P, Jorgensen ME, Brage S. Validity of the international physical activity questionnaire in the arctic. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013;45(4):728–36.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Savinainen M, Nygard CH, Ilmarinen J. A 16-year follow-up study of physical capacity in relation to perceived workload among ageing employees. Ergonomics. 2004;47(10):1087–102.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Schibye B, Hansen AF, Sogaard K, Christensen H. Aerobic power and muscle strength among young and elderly workers with and without physically demanding work tasks. Appl Ergon. 2001;32(5):425–31.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Kahlmeier S, Kelly P, Foster C, Götschi T, Cavill N, Dinsdale H, et al. Health economic assessment tools (HEAT) for walking and for cycling. Methodology and user guide. Economic assessment of transport infrastructure and policies. 2014 Update. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2014.
39.
WHO Regional Office for Europe. From Amsterdam to Paris and beyond: the Transport, health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP) 2009–2020. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2014.
40.
WHO Regional Office for Europe. Physical activity promotion in socially disadvantaged groups: principles for action. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2013.
41.
Lee P, Macfarlane D, Lam T, Stewart S. Validity of the international physical activity questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF): A systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8(1):115.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
42.
Metadata
Title
Development of the European Health Interview Survey - Physical Activity Questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) to monitor physical activity in the European Union
Authors
Jonas D. Finger
Jean Tafforeau
Lydia Gisle
Leila Oja
Thomas Ziese
Juergen Thelen
Gert B. M. Mensink
Cornelia Lange
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Archives of Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 2049-3258
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-015-0110-z

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

Archives of Public Health 1/2015 Go to the issue

Systematic review

Does the consumption of fruits and vegetables differ between Eastern and Western European populations? Systematic review of cross-national studies

Research

Mapping the cause-specific premature mortality reveals large between-districts disparity in Belgium, 2003–2009

Research

Knowledge gaps on paediatric respiratory infections in Morocco, Northern Africa

Research

Biological, psychological and social processes that explain celebrities’ influence on patients’ health-related behaviors

Research

The global activity limitation indicator and self-rated health: two complementary predictors of mortality

Research

The relationship between distorted body image and lifestyle among Japanese adolescents: a population-based study