Abstract

The assessment of physical activity by questionnaire is currently the most popular method of quantifying physical activity levels. Questionnaires, past and present, have considered overall/habitual physical activity including occupational (nonleisure) activity. Others have focused specifically on leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) because of its dominating contribution to the total physical activity of developed populations. This review covers questionnaires that wholly or in part attend to LTPA levels. LTPA questionnaires first appeared in the literature in the mid-60s for use among mainly middle-aged male population groups. However, it became apparent that different questionnaires did not yield the same results. In 1978, a questionnaire to assess only LTPA, the Minnesota LTPA Questionnaire, was published and despite its substantial limitations, has since established itself as the most popular option available. Recently, shorter and simpler alternatives have been advocated, though most have yet to be scrutinised. Associations have been found between LTPA and fitness levels, prompting the use of LTPA questionnaires in large-scale fitness surveys of both adults and children. Although LTPA has continued to be estimated in terms of energy expenditure, little attempt has been made to extend existing knowledge on the energy cost of physical activities. Existing values do not accommodate for individual intensities and inter-population activity variations. Consequently, standardised questionnaires are not yet viable. Verf.-Referat