LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire

Abstract

The LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire (LAPAQ) is a specialized, 37-item self-report instrument designed to quantify the frequency and duration of various physical activities performed during the preceding week. Developed primarily for use within the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), the LAPAQ is rooted in established measures, specifically adapting elements from the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for Older Adults and the Zutphen Physical Activity Questionnaire. It is administered in a face-to-face interview format, generating scores where higher values indicate greater time investment in physical activity.

Keywords

LAPAQ, Physical Activity, Older Adults, Adults, Mobility, Movement, Questionnaire, Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, Baecke Questionnaire, Gerontology, Assessment.

Authors

Stel VS, et al. (2004)

Purpose

The primary purpose of the LAPAQ is to provide a detailed, quantitative assessment of habitual physical activity levels among older adults and general adult populations. It is utilized in large-scale epidemiological studies, such as the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, to monitor changes in activity patterns over time and investigate the relationship between physical movement and health outcomes, particularly those related to aging and nervous system function.

The instrument is designed to capture the complexity of daily movement, ranging from structured exercise to routine household tasks, ensuring a comprehensive picture of energy expenditure and mobility status in the target population. The resulting score serves as a critical variable in studies examining functional decline and healthy aging trajectories.

Construct

The LAPAQ measures the construct of Physical Activity, defined operationally as the total duration and frequency of various types of bodily movement that result in energy expenditure, categorized across different domains of daily life. This construct is multidimensional, encompassing:

• Leisure-Time Activities: Including specific sports (up to two reported).
• Occupational/Routine Activities: Such as cycling and walking outdoors.
• Domestic Activities: Separated into light (e.g., dusting) and heavy (e.g., cleaning windows) household tasks, and gardening.
• Mobility Aids: Specifically addressing wheelchair use, relevant for populations with restricted mobility.

The total score reflects the overall volume of time spent engaging in these activities during the preceding seven days, providing a temporal snapshot of the individual’s activity profile.

Validity

While specific psychometric details often reside in specialized publications, studies related to the LAPAQ typically focus on its criterion and construct validity, particularly against objective measures. Given its derivation from the Modified Baecke Questionnaire and the Zutphen Physical Activity Questionnaire, it is assumed to inherit a degree of established construct validity in measuring activity domains relevant to older adults.

Criterion validity is often established by comparing LAPAQ scores with accelerometer data or other objective measures of energy expenditure. Research within the LASA cohort has demonstrated that the LAPAQ successfully discriminates between individuals with varying levels of functional status, supporting its clinical and epidemiological relevance in assessing mobility and activity decline. The face-to-face interview format also aids in minimizing misinterpretation, enhancing the content validity.

Reliability

The reliability of the LAPAQ is generally assessed through test-retest procedures, crucial for self-report instruments that rely on recall. High test-retest reliability is expected for the overall activity index, suggesting stability in the reported habitual activity levels over short periods (e.g., two weeks). Specific reliability coefficients (e.g., Intra-class Correlation Coefficients or Kappa statistics for individual items) are typically detailed in the primary validation studies published by the LASA research team.

The structured nature of the 37 items and the standardized face-to-face administration protocol contribute positively to the internal consistency and inter-rater reliability of the Questionnaire, ensuring consistent data collection across various interviewers and time points within large longitudinal studies.

Factor Analysis

While the LAPAQ is often utilized as a single, summed activity score, detailed psychometric evaluations typically involve Factor Analysis to confirm the underlying structure of the 37 items. Given that the instrument covers diverse domains—leisure, domestic, and occupational activities—exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are employed to determine whether these domains load onto distinct factors or if they contribute uniformly to a single, overarching physical activity construct.

Studies adapting the source questionnaires (Baecke and Zutphen) often reveal separate factors corresponding to specific activity types (e.g., sport, household work). Factor analysis of the LAPAQ ensures that the weighting and aggregation of the scores accurately reflect the intended conceptual model of physical activity in the elderly population.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire.

Format: Face-to-face interview consisting of 37 items.

Language Available: Primarily Dutch (used in LASA); translations may exist for specific research protocols.

Population Group: Adults and Older Adults (Geriatric population).

Age Group: Typically 55 years and older, though applicable to general adult populations.

Population Details: Used extensively in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam cohort.

Test Methodology: Respondents report the frequency and duration (in minutes or hours) of specific activities undertaken in the past seven days. Activities include walking, cycling, gardening, light and heavy household work, wheelchair use, and structured sports.

The original PDF explanation form can be downloaded here: LAPAQ Explanation Form (PDF).

The original PDF instrument can be downloaded here: LAPAQ Instrument (PDF).

Keywords

LASA, Physical Activity Measurement, Geriatric Assessment, Mobility Assessment, Self-Report Instrument, Baecke, Zutphen, Public Health, Epidemiology, Nervous System.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence generally directed to the LASA coordinating center (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2004 (Based on primary publication by Stel VS, et al.).

Permissions and Fee: The LAPAQ is typically available for non-commercial academic research use, particularly within the context of large cohort studies like LASA. Researchers seeking to utilize the scale outside of the LASA framework should contact the original authors or the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam research group for formal permission and licensing details. Fees may apply depending on the nature and scope of the proposed study.

Reference's

The primary reference detailing the development and initial validation of the LAPAQ is:

Stel, V. S., Pluijm, S. M. F., Deeg, D. J. H., Visser, M., Bouter, L. M., & Lips, P. (2004). Physical activity in older adults: comparison of the LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire with a physical activity diary and an accelerometer. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 57(3), 252-258.

The instrument is also referenced in numerous subsequent publications detailing findings from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

Items of the LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The source content did not provide the 37 individual scale items. However, the domains covered by the LAPAQ, as described in the source, include:

• Rolstoelgebruik
• Buiten lopen
• Fietsen
• Tuinieren
• Lichte huishoudelijke activiteiten
• Zware huishoudelijke activiteiten
• Maximaal 2 sporten