Recall of past activity levels in young adults is predictive of adolescent activity levels

Purpose: To determine whether a global physical activity question (GPAq) administered in young adulthood can be used to accurately rank former physical activity levels (PA) relative to peers of the same age and sex during adolescence. Methods: Data were obtained from the Physical Activity in Young Adults Study, a 10- year follow-up study of 12 - 16 year old adolescents. Five hundred twenty-eight young adults, mean age 24.5 (±1.0) years, completed a GPAq regarding current and past (adolescent) PA. GPAq answers were used to determine whether young adults could accurately rank their past (adolescent) PA levels relative to peers of the same age and sex. GPAq responses were compared with actual self-reported PA levels assessed by the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (MAQ-A; collected during adolescence). For adolescent PA, an average of 4 years of activity from the MAQ-A 1990-1993, was used. Results: Regardless of gender, Jonckheere-Terpstra tests for trend (p < 0.0001) suggest significant linear trends across categories of PA level for the MAQ-A. Higher perceived PA tracked with greater past PA activity and lower perceived PA tracked with lower past PA activity. Conclusions: Young adults who classified themselves as more active as an adolescent were found to be relatively more active based upon self-reported activity from recall questionnaires collected during that time. These findings suggest that young adults can reasonably estimate relative PA levels during their adolescent years with GPAq. Global physical activity questions may be valid for the assessment and classification of previous PA levels.