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Observational Study
. 2024 Dec 30;24(1):3607.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-21139-8.

Harmonizing measurement tools: examining the concurrent validity of the Daily Activity Behaviors Questionnaire compared to the ActiGraph to assess 24-hour movement behaviors among adults

Iris Willems  1   2 , Vera Verbestel  3   4 , Dorothea Dumuid  5 , Patrick Calders  1 , Bruno Lapauw  6 , Marieke De Craemer  7
Affiliations
Observational Study

Harmonizing measurement tools: examining the concurrent validity of the Daily Activity Behaviors Questionnaire compared to the ActiGraph to assess 24-hour movement behaviors among adults

Iris Willems et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Purpose: An accurate assessment of time spent in 24-hour movement behaviors (24 h-MBs) is crucial in exploring health related associations. This study aims to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Daily Activity Behavior Questionnaire (DABQ) compared to the ActiGraph using absolute and relative indicators of validity.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 105 adults (45 ± 13 y/o, 54% female). Participants wore an ActiGraph during seven consecutive days followed by filling in the DABQ recalling the past seven days. Intraclass correlations (95% confidence intervals), Bland-Altman plots, Spearman's correlations and the magnitude of error were calculated to estimate the absolute agreement and validity. Interaction effects between sociodemographic variables and the measurement methods were explored in mixed models. All analyses were compared by four commonly used data processing methods for ActiGraph data (cut-points and data reduction method-specific).

Results: Moderate absolute agreement (ICC = 0.56) and validity (rhosleep=0.58) was found for sleep comparing the DABQ with the ActiGraph. Time spent in sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) showed poor absolute agreement (ICCSB: 0.01-0.38, ICCLPA: 0.00-0.31; ICCMVPA: 0.23-0.30) and validity (rhoSB: 0.01-0.43, rhoLPA: 0.10-0.46; rhoMVPA: 0.38-0.44) comparing the DABQ with the ActiGraph. The Ranges in ICC and Spearmans' rho include the comparison between the four data processing methods. A significant interaction was found between the measurement method and educational level (p < 0.001), in specific for sleep, SB and LPA.

Conclusion: Compared to the ActiGraph, the DABQ showed accurate time-use estimates for sleep but presented poor to moderate evidence of validity regarding SB, LPA and MVPA. This was shown in underestimations regarding SB and MVPA, and overestimations regarding LPA. However, educational level and data processing methods contributed to these variations.

Keywords: 24-hour movement behaviors; Accelerometry; Physical activity; Questionnaire; Sedentary behavior; Sleep; Time use epidemiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was included in the approval of the Ethical Review Committee of Ghent University, Belgium, in line with national regulations (the Ethical Committee of Ghent University Hospital (Belgium), ONZ-2023-0384). Informed consent was provided, explained and signed by all participants prior to the start of the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Bland-Altman plots showing difference in minute between ActiGraph- and DABQ-measured movement behaviors regarding different data processig methods (a) ENMO, (b) MAD, (c) CPM VA, (d) CPM VM. X-axis refers to average measurement of time use estimates measured by ActiGraph and DABQ. Y-axis shows the differences in time-use estimates between the ActiGraph and DABQ. The Intensity-based cut-points thresholds for each data processing method are as follows: ENMO Hildebrand et al. (2014), MAD Vaha Ypya et al. (2018, 2023), CPM VA Troiano et al. (2008), and CPM VM Sasaki et al. (2011). Blue line represent the mean difference (MD) and the red lines represent upper limit of agreement, and lower limit of agreement. For exact MD and upper and lower LOA see Table 2
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