IPAQ algorithm for transforming minutes into socalled MET-minutes

[Rannveig Mowinckel]

I am at a beginner's level when it comes to stata, so please bear with me...
I am conducting a survey using a questionnaire called IPAQ short form where I ask the participants about physical activity, walking, moderate and vigorous physical activity. The answers are given in minutes. According to the questionnaire guidelines Physical activity is to be classified in three levels – high, moderate, and low – on the basis of frequency, duration of each activity and so called MET-minutes. For
-Walking MET-minutes/week = 3.3 * walking minutes * walking days
-Moderate MET-minutes/week = 4.0 * moderate-intensity activity minutes * moderate days
-Vigorous MET-minutes/week = 8.0 * vigorous-intensity activity minutes * vigorous-intensity days
-Total physical activity MET-minutes/week = sum of Walking + Moderate + Vigorous MET-minutes/week scores.

Is there anyone here who have any idea how I can use stata in order to calculate MET-minutes for each category?
I am more than thankful for a response!

Rannveig

[Clyde Schechter]

The code will depend on how your data is organized. Without example data to work with, nobody can help you.

Please post back showing example data, using the -dataex- command to assure that the posted data is usable and contains complete metadata. In the future, when showing data examples, please use the -dataex- command to do so. If you are running version 17, 16 or a fully updated version 15.1 or 14.2, -dataex- is already part of your official Stata installation. If not, run -ssc install dataex- to get it. Either way, run -help dataex- to read the simple instructions for using it. -dataex- will save you time; it is easier and quicker than typing out tables. It includes complete information about aspects of the data that are often critical to answering your question but cannot be seen from tabular displays or screenshots. It also makes it possible for those who want to help you to create a faithful representation of your example to try out their code, which in turn makes it more likely that their answer will actually work in your data.

[Leonardo Guizzetti]

Your question is a bit unclear here. If you collected the minutes of activity and days of activity at each week as prescribed by the IPAQ questionnaire, then you have already outlined the necessary calculations. What data do you have and what is giving you a problem?