VALIDATION OF THE MINNESOTA LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRE IN SPANISH MEN

Questionnaires are frequently used for measuring physical activity. Th e aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Minneso ta Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ) in Spanish me n. Healthy men (n = 187) aged 20-60 years were recruited. The MLTPAQ w as administered to assess the quantity (total activity metabolic index ) and quality (heavy, moderate, acid light) of physical activity perfo rmed in the last year, quarter, month, and week. Fitness was assessed with an exercise test. Spearman's correlation coefficients between the total activity metabolic index and exercise test duration, time to ma ximal theoretical heart rate, and caloric intake were 0.57, 0.46, and 0.40, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients between th e total activity metabolic indexes in the last year and in the last qu arter, month, and week were 0.62, 0.46, and 0.35, respectively. In mul tiple linear regression, the heavy, moderate, and light activity metab olic index, age, body mass index, and basal heart rate explained 40% o f the variability of time to the maximum theoretical heart rate. The S panish version of the MLTPAQ is a valid instrument to measure the quan tity and quality of physical activity performed in the last year (also in periods shorter than 1 year) by Spanish men aged 20-60 years. Only heavy physical activity is related to cardiorespiratory fitness.