Determining the level of physical activity estimated by the Canada Fitness Survey questionnaire using criteria of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire

Study aim: The aim of the study was to determine the weekly energy expenditure measuring MET/min/week based on data collected through the Canada Fitness Survey (CFS), according to the classification used in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and to verify the adopted method to assess the level of physical activity in students of physical education.

Material and methods: The study involved 116 female students (21.1 ± 1.6) and 276 male students (21.2 ± 1.7), studying Physical Education at Kazimierz Wielki University. Physical activity (PA) of respondents assessed using the Canada Fitness Survey was converted to energy expenditure in MET/min/week using the criteria established in the IPAQ. Body composition was assessed according to bioelectrical impedance.

Results: A significantly smaller fat fraction was observed in the group of students with high physical activity (PA) (p < 0.01). In women, there was a significant relation between FAT% and all analysed characteristics of physical activity: total physical activity (TPA) – 0.274, vigorous intensity (VI) – 0.216, number of days spent on physical activity (DTPA) – 0.199 and number of days spent on vigorous intensity (DVI) – 0.202 (p < 0.05). In men, a significant relation was found between all the analysed tissue components and the adopted variables of PA (FAT% vs. TPA – 0.145, VI – 0.203, DTPA – 0.187; FATkg vs. TPA – 0.123, VI – 0.186, DTPA – 0.178; FATkg vs. DVI – 0.131). BMI significantly correlated with VI (–0.162) and DVI (–0.140), p < 0.05.

Conclusions: Based on data collected using the CFS on the type and frequency of PA during a week, we can determine the level of activity in a measurable way, using the IPAQ classification. There is a significant relationship between thus determined physical activity levels and body composition in both women and men, which proves the accuracy of the adopted method of converting weekly energy expenditure to MET/min/week.