Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire

What is the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire?

The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire measures self-reported physical activity among adults to assess exercise behavior (Zelener & Schneider, 2016).

Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is a subtype of physical activity; LTPA refers to activity that is typically voluntary and of higher intensity, unlike habitual physical activity, which includes routine exercise such as occupational, commuting, and household physical activity. LTPA is proven to be beneficial for cancer survivors' mental and physical health (Godin, 2011).

The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire is a commonly used physical activity questionnaire in research assessing physical activity in patients with chronic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (Sikes et al., 2019). It primarily focuses on physical activity performed outside of occupational or household settings, clearly understanding an individual’s voluntary leisure-time physical activity.

Respondents are asked to indicate, on average, during a typical week do, they do the three subscales of exercise for more than 15 minutes. The subscales are listed below:

1. Strenuous exercise: heart rapidly beats, e.g., running, vigorous swimming, basketball, football.
2. Moderate exercise: not exhausting: e.g., fast walking, badminton, easy swimming, volleyball
3. Mild/light exercise: minimal effort: e.g., yoga, bowling, golf, easy walking

, Respondents are placed into one of three categories based on their physical activity level: active, moderately active, and insufficiently active. There is significant valid evidence supporting the use of the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire to classify healthy adults into these categories based on their physical fitness (Godin, 2011). These categories follow guidelines supported by public health, health-related research, and health promotion.

How to use our Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire template

Using the PVQ is a simple and straightforward process. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Step 1: Download the template

Access the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire template by clicking "Use template," allowing you to edit the resource via the Carepatron app. For a PDF copy, choose "Download."

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the template

The template is designed to guide you through the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. It includes space for essential patient information, such as name and date. The template follows the standard Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire, composed of 3 items, each relating to one of the three subscales: strenuous, moderate, and mild/light exercise.

Step 3: Ask the patient to complete

Give the template to the patient to complete. Ensure that they fill out their personal details. Before patient completion, emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer; it is about understanding their authentic answers. Explain that it is crucial to provide honest answers to attain an accurate result. Be sure to guide the individual through the template, helping them with questions if necessary while ensuring not to suggest any answers.

Step 4: Score their answers

Calculate the individual's score by following the instructions below.

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Scoring

Scoring the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire is a straightforward and efficient process that can be used for educational and research purposes. Ensure that all questions have been answered to the best of the individuals' ability to get the most accurate results.

To score, multiply the following subscales by their estimated energy expenditure and sum the three scores to reach a total score.

• Strenuous exercise: Multiply by 9
• Moderate exercise: Multiply by 5
• Mild/light exercise: Multiply by 3

Interpretation of the total score is as follows:

• 24 or more: Active
• 14-23: Moderately active
• Less than 14: Insufficiently active/sedentary

Next steps after using the questionnaire

Here are some steps you can take after administering the questionnaire:

Review and analyze responses

The patient's total score will be reviewed and interpreted as suggested above. Patterns and trends according to the categories can be identified to help define measurement in each specific area. These scores can be used to identify whether an individual meets the recommended guidelines for physical activity guidelines.

Discuss results with patient

Professionals may open a sensitive and nonjudgmental conversation to discuss the PVQ results. The professional will try to understand the patient better, considering the person's broader social determinants.

The score will provide information that can help to guide physical education, physical activity participation, and patient health outcomes. Researchers can further use it to identify trends and patterns that help inform health policies and health promotion initiatives to increase physical activity participation.

References

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

Sikes, E. M., Richardson, E. V., Cederberg, K. J., Sasaki, J. E., Sandroff, B. M., & Motl, R. W. (2019). Use of the Godin leisure-time exercise questionnaire in multiple sclerosis research: a comprehensive narrative review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(11), 1243-1267.

Zelener, J., & Schneider, M. (2016). Adolescents and Self-Reported Physical Activity: An evaluation of the modified Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. International Journal of Exercise Science, 9(5), 587–598.