OBJECTIVETo assess the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the Simplified Chinese-character version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long form (IPAQ-L) in urban community-dwelling adults in Hanghzou, China.

METHODSA total of 158 eligible participants aged 25-59 years from 6 neighbourhoods in two central districts of Hangzhou completed the IPAQ-L questionnaire twice within a 7-day interval. Half of the subjects wore pedometers during the first 7 days. Test-retest reliability was examined by comparing the first (Day 1) and the second (Day 9) survey of IPAQ-L. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing IPAQ-L with pedometer data.

RESULTSModest to good test-retest reliability was found with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.67 for total PA, 0.37 to 0.73 for specific dimensions, and 0.56 to 0.71 for different intensities of PA. Total PA measured by IPAQ-L was moderately correlated with exercise levels (partial r = 0.27, P = 0.020) and walking distance (partial r = 0.31, P = 0.007), which were measured by a pedometer, after adjusting for gender, age, educational attainment and employment status.

CONCLUSIONOur results indicate that the IPAQ-L is a reliable and validated measure for assessing physical activity levels in this population and possibly the adult population in other mainland Chinese cities.