Abstract
Citation
Ramírez-Vélez R, Cruz-Salazar SM, Martínez M, Cadore EL, Alonso-Martinez AM, Correa-Bautista JE, Izquierdo M, Ortega FB, García-Hermoso A. Construct validity and test-retest reliability of the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) in Colombian children and adolescents aged 9-17.9 years: the FUPRECOL study. PeerJ 2017 May 23;5:e3351. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3351. eCollection 2017.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a lack of instruments and studies written in Spanish evaluating physical fitness, impeding the determination of the current status of this important health indicator in the Latin population, especially in Colombia. The aim of the study was two-fold: to examine the validity of the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) with a population-based sample of schoolchildren from Bogota, Colombia and to examine the reliability of the IFIS with children and adolescents from Engativa, Colombia. METHODS: The sample comprised 1,873 Colombian youths (54.5% girls) aged 9-17.9 years. We measured their adiposity markers (waist-to-height ratio, skinfold thickness, percentage of body fat and body mass index), blood pressure, lipids profile, fasting glucose, and physical fitness level (self-reported and measured). A validated cardiometabolic risk index score was also used. An age- and sex-matched subsample of 229 schoolchildren who were not originally included in the sample completed the IFIS twice for reliability purposes. RESULTS: Our data suggest that both measured and self-reported overall physical fitness levels were inversely associated with percentage of body fat indicators and the cardiometabolic risk index score. Overall, schoolchildren who self-reported "good" or "very good" fitness had better measured fitness levels than those who reported "very poor/poor" fitness (all p < 0.001). The test-retest reliability of the IFIS items was also good, with an average weighted kappa of 0.811. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that self-reported fitness, as assessed by the IFIS, is a valid, reliable, and health-related measure. Furthermore, it can be a good alternative for future use in large studies with Latin schoolchildren from Colombia.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3351
At A Glance
Individual Physical Activity Behavior Variables
| Behavior |
|---|
| Perceived Overall Fitness |
Domain(s)
Individual Physical Activity Behavior
Measure Type
Questionnaire
Measure Availability
Free. Access at http://profith.ugr.es/IFIS
Number of Items
5 Reported
Study location
Metro/Urban
Bogota, Colombia
Languages
Spanish
Information about Development of Measure
The International Fitness Scale (IFIS) was originally validated in nine European countries and languages in the HELENA study, but no study has evaluated the validity and reliability of the IFIS outside Europe, which is the goal of this study.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
6 - 11 Years
12 - 18 Years
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
Not reported
Sample Size
2082
Study Design
Design Type
Validation/Reliability
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
BMI for age
Percent body fat (Bioelectrical impedance analysis)
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Measured height
Measured weight
Covariates
Not available
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Quantitative data on study sample
Data Reported on SES
Not applicable
SES-related Variables
Not applicable
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Self-administered
How Administered
In-person
Time Required
Not reported
Training Required
Not reported
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
Schoolchildren included in the study were part of The Fuprecol Study. Self-reported fitness was assessed using the International Fitness Scale (IFIS). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using the twenty minute shuttle run test. Musculoskeletal fitness (MF) was assessed using the standing broad jump and the handgrip strength test. Speed and agility were measured using the four times ten shuttle run test. Flexibility was measured using the standard sit-and-reach test. The test-retest study was conducted with a separate age-matched sample of children and adolescents who completed the IFIS on two occasions, one week apart.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (1)
| Type of validity | Construct/subscale assessed | Criterion measure used | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criterion | Self-reported physical fitness, International Fitness Scale (IFIS) | Measured physical fitness | Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons | Participants with a high level of self-reported fitness (i.e., good and very good categories) had higher measured Cardiorespiratory fitness, Musculoskeletal fitnes, speed and agility, and flexibility compared to schoolchildren reporting very poor/poor fitness level (all p < 0.001) |
Reliability (1)
| Type of reliability | Construct/subscale assessed | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test-retest | International Fitness Scale (IFIS) components | Cronbach's alpha Kappa statistics | Alpha = 0.733 to 0.789; Kappa = 0.775 to 0.847 |