Validation of a Three-Day Physical Activity Record and the sw200 Pedometer in Greek Children

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate reliability and validity of the pedometer Yamax Digi-walker SW 200 and the 3dPAR a self-report instrument in a sample of Greek primary school students. Participants were 61 children, ages 1011, which wore an accelerometer and a pedometer (YAMAX Digiwalker SW 200) in a belt around their waist for four consecutive days (two week days and two weekend days) and completed the Greek version of the 3 day Physical Activity Record Greek version (3dPAR-G). The study was designed to compare the criterion measure, the MTI/Actigraph, against the pedometer and the physical activity self report instrument. One week later, the same procedure was repeated for the pedometer and 3dPAR-G in order to examine test- retest reliability of these instruments. Significant correlations were observed between the accelerometer data as a measure of validity, and the data from the two other instruments: for the 4-day pedometer score (r=0.72, p. 0.01) and the 3-day average physical activity score (r=0.44, p. 0.01). The interclass reliability coefficient for the pedometer and 3-day diary was 0.84 (p. 0.01) and 0.61 (p.0.01) respectively. In addition, significant Alpha reliability coefficient was observed for the pedometer score (ICC=0.91) and the 3 day average physical activity score (ICC=0.74). The pedometer (SW 200, YAMAX) and the 3-day physical activity record provide valid and reliable estimates of physical activity in 10-11 years old children in Greece.