Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ)

Abstract

The Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), often referred to as the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, is a concise, self-administered instrument designed to quantify an individual’s self-reported engagement in physical activity during their free time. Developed by Godin and Shephard in the 1980s, the scale is characterized by its simplicity and efficiency, making it highly suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies and clinical assessments.

The LTEQ requires respondents to recall the frequency (times per week) of sustained exercise sessions, categorized into three distinct intensity levels: strenuous, moderate, and mild. The resulting data is then used to calculate a Total Weekly Leisure Activity Score, which serves as a metric for classifying adults into categories of activity status, crucial in behavioral epidemiology and public health research.

Keywords

Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire, LTEQ, Godin-Shephard, Physical Activity, Exercise Behavior, Health Promotion, Activity Assessment, Self-Report.

Authors

Godin, G., Shephard, R. J.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the LTEQ is to offer a straightforward and reliable method for assessing habitual exercise behavior within community and clinical settings. It addresses the need for a practical tool that can capture the complexity of physical activity without requiring extensive resources or time commitment typically associated with detailed activity logs or objective monitoring devices.

The instrument focuses specifically on leisure-time activity, distinguishing it from occupational or transportation-related physical activity. By employing weighted scoring based on the intensity of the exercise (strenuous, moderate, or light), the LTEQ provides a single, quantifiable measure that correlates with overall energy expenditure and cardiovascular fitness levels.

Construct

The LTEQ measures the construct of Leisure-Time Physical Activity (LTPA). LTPA is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure and is performed during discretionary time, outside of structured work or necessary daily chores.

The construct is operationalized by segmenting activity based on the physiological effect felt by the individual—specifically heart rate and perceived exertion. This allows the scale to capture the volume and intensity of activities that contribute most significantly to health outcomes, such as those that cause the heart to beat rapidly (strenuous) versus those requiring minimal effort (mild). The scoring formula assigns higher weights to more intense activities, reflecting their greater contribution to health benefits.

Validity

The LTEQ possesses strong evidence of validity, having been rigorously tested against both subjective and objective measures of physical activity. Studies have demonstrated good concurrent validity, showing significant correlations with objective measures such as fitness tests (e.g., VO2 max) and heart rate monitoring.

Furthermore, research, such as that by Amireault and Godin (2015), confirms the scale’s criterion validity in a practical context, supporting its use for accurately classifying healthy adults into clinically meaningful categories, such as ‘active’ and ‘insufficiently active.’ This classification ability is paramount for interventions targeting public health goals.

Reliability

The LTEQ is generally reported to have acceptable to high test-retest reliability, indicating the stability of the measure over time when administered to the same individuals. Typical reliability coefficients range from 0.70 to 0.90 across short retest intervals (e.g., two weeks). This high level of consistency makes the questionnaire suitable for tracking longitudinal changes in exercise behavior in both research and clinical practice.

Factor Analysis

While the LTEQ is conceptually and practically used to derive a single, composite Total Weekly Leisure Activity Score, its structure is inherently multidimensional, based on the three distinct intensity levels (strenuous, moderate, and mild). Factor analyses typically confirm the separation of these three domains of activity. However, for most applications in behavioral epidemiology, researchers rely on the weighted index to quantify overall activity volume, reflecting the scale’s primary purpose as a quick assessment tool rather than a detailed diagnostic measure of specific exercise types.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychometric scale / Activity Frequency Questionnaire

Format: Brief, 4-item recall instrument (3 items measure frequency of intensity levels, 1 item measures frequency of sweating/heart rate elevation).

Language Available: English (original development), French, and various other translated versions.

Population Group: General Population, Healthy Adults, Clinical Populations (e.g., oncology, cardiac rehabilitation).

Age Group: Typically used with adolescents and adults (15 years and older).

Population Details: Widely employed in large-scale studies requiring rapid and reliable assessment of habitual physical activity levels across diverse demographic and clinical groups.

Test Methodology: Retrospective self-report, asking respondents to quantify the frequency (times per week, for more than 15 minutes) of specific exercise types during a typical 7-day period.

Keywords

LTPA, Exercise Intensity, Strenuous Exercise, Health Assessment, Psychometric Properties, Public Health, Behavioral Measurement.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source content)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source content)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source content)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) was first published in 1985. The instrument is generally considered freely available for non-commercial academic and research purposes.

The Weekly leisure activity score is calculated using the established formula: (9 × Strenuous) + (5 × Moderate) + (3 × Light).

The original PDF of the instrument can be downloaded here: http://www.godin.fsi.ulaval.ca/Fichiers/Quest/Godin%20leisure-time.pdf. Additional versions are available via these links: https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/Godin%20Leisure-Time%20Exercise%20Questionnaire_070815.pdf and http://dapa-toolkit.mrc.ac.uk/documents/en/God/Godin_Leisure-Time_Exercise_Q.pdf.

Reference’s

• Godin, G., Shephard, R. J. (1985). A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 10(3), 141 – 146.

• Godin, G., Shephard, R. J. (1997) Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 29 June Supplement: S36-S38.

• Godin, G. (2011). The Godin-Shephard leisure-time physical activity questionnaire. Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 4(1), 18-22.

• Amireault, S., Godin, G. (2015). The Godin-Shephard leisure-time physical activity questionnaire: validity evidence Supporting its use for classifying healthy adults into active and Insufficiently Active Categories. Perceptual & Motor Skills: Physical Development & Measurement, 120(2), 1-19.

Items of the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ)