This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, I. Articles by Hagströmer, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, I. Articles by Hagströmer, M. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Exercise for Children Exercise for Seniors Exercise and Physical Fitness Women's Health Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Understanding and interpreting the concept of physical activity — a focus group study among Swedish women

Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, isabel.johnson{at}ki.se

Per Tillgren

Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Box 883, Västerås, Sweden

Maria Hagströmer

Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Aims: Strong epidemiological evidence indicates that physical activity is highly beneficial for health. To follow physical activity trends and correctly target interventions, feasible, reliable and valid assessment methods are needed. This paper examines Swedish women's understanding and interpretations of the concepts of physical activity and exercise, as well as different intensity modifiers used in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted with 27 women in total aged 35 to 69 (median = 52). Responses and accompanying discussion were analysed according to the principles for qualitative content analysis including both manifest and latent content in the text. Findings: Understanding of physical activity and exercise depends on differences in people's experiences. The women felt physical activity and exercise were different concepts, but ultimately agreed that physical activity and exercise were terms along a continuum of movement experiences, from informal to formal settings. The interpretations of the intensity modifiers ``moderate'' and ``vigorous'' were close to the formal definitions in IPAQ. However the Swedish terms ``mattligt anstraöngande'' (moderate intensity) and ''mycket anstraöngande'' (vigorous intensity) are the best possible terms and should be used in IPAQ. Conclusions: There are different interpretations of the meaning of the key concepts in IPAQ that must be considered. The use of a qualitative approach when developing physical activity questionnaires can lead to more feasible, reliable and valid assessment methods as well as a clearer message for health-enhancing physical activity recommendations.

Key Words: Assessment methods • definitions • exercise • intensity modifiers • IPAQ

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 37, No. 1, 20-27 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1403494808099963


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?