Comparison of International Physical Activity Questionnaire Levels and Smartwatch-Measured Physical Activity Levels in University Students

Healthy individuals can monitor their physical activity, sleep quality, and vital signs through smartwatches and mobile applications. Tracking daily step counts via smartwatches helps individuals observe their physical activity levels and boost their motivation. This study aims to explore the correlation between the physical activity levels of university students, as measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and their daily step count recorded by Apple smartwatches. Moreover, this investigation examined the feasibility of employing daily step count -a more objective measure-instead of the categorical data generally utilized in evaluating IPAQ scores in existing literature. It is suggested that this methodology may mitigate subjectivity and advance future research efforts. Additionally, the relationship between the students' physical activity levels and sleep quality was evaluated. The research involved 102 volunteer students from Istanbul Aydın University. Participants' average daily step counts were documented from their smartwatches over a week, followed by the completion of IPAQ-SF and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).