Assessment of the level of physical activity among children aged 7–15 using the short version of the IPAQ questionnaire. A pilot study

Abstract

Introduction. In February 2022, remote learning ended in Poland. This was associated with an increase in physical activity for children, including participation in physical education lessons as well as spontaneous games and play during breaks, and also the commute to and from school. The introduction of remote learning significantly limited the opportunity for children to build healthy habits in the form of leading as active a lifestyle as possible. Aim of the study. (1) Assesing of the possibility of using the short version of the IPAQ questionnaire to assess the level of physical activity among children aged 7–15. (2) Assessing the current level of physical activity among children aged 7–15 and the degree of compliance with WHO recommendations. Material and methods. A pilot study was conducted in the form of an anonymous online survey, based on the shortened version of the IPAQ questionnaire, on a group of 30 randomly selected children. Results. (1) The short version of the IPAQ questionnaire allowed for an easy and precise calculation of the level of physical activity in the studied group. (2) The studied group did not achieve the minimum level of physical activity recommended by the WHO. Conclusions. (1) The short version of the IPAQ questionnaire can be used to assess the level of physical activity among children after introducing changes to the qualification criteria with reference to WHO recommendations. (2) There is a need for education promoting health behaviors associated with engaging in physical activity.