Validation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) among Chinese Children.
OBJECTIVE
This study initially validates the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), which has been identified as a potentially valid instrument to assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children among diverse racial groups.


METHODS
The psychometric properties of the PAQ-C with 742 Hong Kong Chinese children were assessed with the scale's internal consistency, reliability, test-retest reliability, confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) in the overall sample, and multistep invariance tests across gender groups as well as convergent validity with body mass index (BMI), and an accelerometry-based MVPA.


RESULTS
The Cronbach alpha coefficient (α=0.79), composite reliability value (ρ=0.81), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (α=0.82) indicate the satisfactory reliability of the PAQ-C score. The CFA indicated data fit a single factor model, suggesting that the PAQ-C measures only one construct, on MVPA over the previous 7 days. The multiple-group CFAs suggested that the factor loadings and variances and covariances of the PAQ-C measurement model were invariant across gender groups. The PAQ-C score was related to accelerometry-based MVPA (r=0.33) and inversely related to BMI (r=-0.18).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the reliability and validity of the PAQ-C in Chinese children.
Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
Jing Jing
JJ
Wang
Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston 77030, Texas, USA.
Tom
T
Baranowski
Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
Wc Patrick
WP
Lau
Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston 77030, Texas, USA.
Tzu An
TA
Chen
Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
Amanda Jane
AJ
Pitkethly
D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Children; Measurement; Physical activity; Reliability; Validity