Arabic Translation and Psychometric Testing of the Physical Activity Index (PAI)

Background: Regular physical activity benefits both physical and mental health. Yet, physical inactivity remains widespread, including in Lebanon, with significant health consequences. While objective and subjective tools for measuring physical activity exist, self-report questionnaires like the Physical Activity Index (PAI) are practical and cost-effective for large-scale population studies. However, the PAI has not been validated in Arabic-speaking populations. This study intended to evaluate the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the PAI, with the aim of providing an adapted tool to assess physical activity, and support public health initiatives and research efforts in Arab-speaking regions. Methods: The forward-backward translation method was adopted. Data was collected through a one-time online survey from a sample of Lebanese adults (N = 462; mean age = 25.85 ± 9.69 years; 70.3% females). Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a single-factor structure for the Arabic version of the PAI. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.71 indicated acceptable internal consistency. The factor structure was invariant across gender, with acceptable internal consistency for males (α = 0.78) and females (α = 0.68). In the total sample, the mean PAI was 23.15 ± 18.81, indicating poor physical activity, with no significant gender differences (males: 25.85 ± 21.32, females: 22.01 ± 17.55; t(460) = 1.86, p = 0.064). Convergent validity was supported by a significant positive correlation between PAI and Exercise scores (r = 0.50; p< 0.001). Concurrent validity was confirmed through positive correlations between PAI scores and general physical condition (r = 0.14; p< 0.01), general well-being (r = 0.18; p< 0.001), and emotional intelligence scores (r = 0.15; p< 0.01). Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicate that the Arabic version of the PAI has acceptable psychometric properties and holds potential for use in large-scale population studies due to its low cost, easy scoring, quick completion time, and suitability for the Lebanese young adult population. Further research is needed to confirm its validity and expand its applicability across different age groups and Arab countries.