Description

The Leisure Time Activities Questionnaire (LTAQ-15) is a tool designed to assess an individual’s participation in leisure time physical activities. It measures the frequency and duration of various leisure activities performed over a given period, typically over a week. The questionnaire focuses on activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, and other recreational or physical exercises.
The LTAQ-15 contains 15 items, each representing a specific activity. Respondents indicate how many times they engaged in each activity and for how long (usually in minutes or hours). The goal is to quantify an individual’s total physical activity during their leisure time.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data collected from the LTAQ-15 are primarily used to calculate the overall energy expenditure (measured in METs – Metabolic Equivalent of Task). This involves converting reported activity durations into energy expenditure by using standardized MET values for each activity. This helps in:
Assessing Physical Activity Levels: The LTAQ-15 provides an estimate of weekly physical activity levels, which can be compared against health guidelines to determine if individuals meet recommended physical activity standards.
Monitoring Changes Over Time: By administering the questionnaire periodically, researchers or practitioners can track changes in physical activity levels in individuals or populations.
Research Applications: The LTAQ-15 is widely used in public health, sports sciences, and epidemiological studies to explore the relationship between leisure activities and health outcomes such as cardiovascular health, mental well-being, and overall fitness.

Objective

The primary objective of the LTAQ-15 is to quantify the level of physical activity during leisure time, providing insights into an individual’s health and fitness. It can be used by clinicians, researchers, or fitness professionals to evaluate lifestyle habits, promote healthier activities, and design interventions.
Clinical Assessment: It serves as a simple tool to identify individuals who may be at risk due to sedentary lifestyles and low physical activity.
Promoting Active Lifestyles: The results can guide recommendations to increase physical activity through targeted leisure activities.
Supporting Public Health Initiatives: In large-scale studies, LTAQ-15 data can inform policies to promote active living and physical health across populations.

Calibration

Calibration or validation of the LTAQ-15 refers to ensuring that the questionnaire reliably measures what it is intended to measure – the frequency and duration of leisure time activities. Validation studies compare LTAQ-15 results with objective measures like accelerometers or fitness trackers. These studies often show moderate to strong correlations, supporting its use as a self-report tool for estimating leisure time physical activity.
Reliability refers to the consistency of responses over time, often tested by administering the questionnaire to the same individuals multiple times under similar conditions. The LTAQ-15 typically demonstrates good test-retest reliability, indicating that individuals provide consistent reports of their leisure activities.

Key References

Ainsworth, B. E., et al. (2000). “Compendium of Physical Activities: An update of activity codes and MET intensities.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(9), S498-S504.
This foundational study provides MET values for various activities, which are used in questionnaires like the LTAQ-15 to estimate energy expenditure.
Jacobs, D. R., et al. (1993). “A questionnaire for assessing physical activity in leisure time: Validation by comparison with direct measurement.” International Journal of Epidemiology, 22(5), 825-831.
This paper discusses the validity of self-report physical activity questionnaires, a key component of calibrating tools like the LTAQ-15.
Pols, M. A., et al. (1995). “Validity and repeatability of a modified Baecke questionnaire on physical activity.” International Journal of Epidemiology, 24(4), 995-1003.
Although it uses a different questionnaire, this study provides insights into methods for validating and ensuring the reliability of physical activity questionnaires in general.