Abstract
Purpose Developing reliable instruments to assess physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) is crucial and challenging. PA questionnaires are user-friendly, but lack the accuracy of devices like accelerometers. The Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ) estimates structured PA, sedentary and in-bed time, and incidental PA through a structured interview. Due to its practicality, it may be used for various populations, including those at higher risk for SB. This study aimed to validate the Italian version of the SIMPAQ (SIMPAQ-It) among university students, a high-risk of SB population, comparing results with accelerometer data and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Methods Anthropometric and sociodemographic data were collected in 106 participants (57 females) with age range from 19 to 36 (M age = 21.8; SD = 2.3). Afterwards, participants wore accelerometers (Actigraph-GT3X) for one week, before the SIMPAQ and the IPAQ-SF were telephone-administered. Results The SIMPAQ-It demonstrated moderate correlations with accelerometer data, particularly for sleep duration (rho = 0.49, p < .001) and sedentary time (rho = 0.22, p < .05). Additional correlations included standing time with light PA (rho = 0.25, p < .01), walking time with daily steps (rho = 0.24, p < .05), and sport/exercise time with moderate-to-vigorous PA (rho = 0.36, p < .001). In comparison, the IPAQ-SF showed lower correlations with accelerometer data, with the strongest association observed for vigorous PA (rho = 0.33, p < .01). Although the IPAQ-SF took less time to complete (p < .001), participants found it easier to respond to the SIMPAQ (p = .004). Conclusions This study highlights that the Italian version of the SIMPAQ could be a valid tool for assessing SB and PA in university students, showing stronger correlations with accelerometer data compared to the IPAQ-SF, especially for lower-intensity activities. Despite some limitations, the SIMPAQ-It is practical and user-friendly, making it suitable for applications in research, educational and clinical settings.