Concurrent validity and cross-validation of the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire

Relationships among behavioural regulations, physical activity, and mental health pre- and during COVID-19 UK lockdown

A nationwide survey was conducted during the first UK lockdown to further understanding of the degree to which motives for exercise were associated with physical activity (PA) behaviours and, in turn, how PA behaviours were associated with mental health. A cross-sectional design was employed and data were collected by use of a one-off online survey (N = 392; 18-85 years; M _BMI = 25.48; SD _BMI = 5.05; 314 women). Exercise motives, PA, and mental health were measured by use of the Behavioural Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire-3, Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire-12, respectively. Participants were also asked to specify their average step count per day, if they used a mobile device for this purpose (n = 190). Analyses comprised hierarchical regressions and partial correlations. Results indicated that behavioural regulations were more strongly associated with planned PA pre-lockdown, compared to during lockdown. There were no differences observed in explained variance between pre- and during lockdown for unplanned PA and steps per day. Planned and unplanned PA were significant explanatory variables for mental health both pre- and during lockdown, but sedentary behaviour was not. Partial correlations, with BMI and age partialled out, showed that steps per day were not correlated with mental health either pre- or during lockdown. The range of variables used to explain planned and unplanned PA and mental health suggest that people's motives to exercise were tempered by lockdown. For those who routinely measured their steps per day, the step count was unrelated to their mental health scores both pre- and during lockdown. It appears that engagement in regular PA confers some minor benefits for mental health.

Physical activity and mental well-being under COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional multination study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 lockdowns have reduced opportunities for physical activity (PA) and encouraged more sedentary lifestyles. A concomitant of sedentariness is compromised mental health. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations (USA, UK, France, and Australia).

METHODS

An online survey was administered in the second quarter of 2020 (N = 2541). We measured planned and unplanned dimensions of PA using the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire and mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Steps per day were recorded only from participants who used an electronic device for this purpose, and sedentary behavior was reported in hours per day (sitting and screen time).

RESULTS

In the USA and Australia samples, there was a significant decline in planned PA from pre- to during lockdown. Among young adults, Australians exhibited the lowest planned PA scores, while in middle-aged groups, the UK recorded the highest. Young adults exhibited the largest reduction in unplanned PA. Across nations, there was a reduction of ~ 2000 steps per day. Large increases in sedentary behavior emerged during lockdown, which were most acute in young adults. Lockdown was associated with a decline in mental health that was more pronounced in women.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings illustrate the deleterious effects of lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations. Australian young and lower middle-aged adults appeared to fare particularly badly in terms of planned PA. The reduction in steps per day is equivalent to the non-expenditure of ~ 100 kcal. Declines in mental health show how harmful lockdowns can be for women in particular.

Concurrent validity and cross-validation of the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire

OBJECTIVES

Given the profoundly negative impact of inactivity on public health, it is important to have valid and reliable measures of lifestyle physical activity (LPA). The Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire (BLPAQ) was designed to measure planned physical activity (PPA) and unplanned physical activity (UPA). The objective of the present study was to assess the criterion-related validity of the BLPAQ.

DESIGN

A correlational design was employed.

METHODS

A sample of British leisure centre users (N=356; age range 18-69 y: mean age 26.5±10.4 y) completed the BLPAQ and two reference measures: the Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity (BQHPA) and the Godin's Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). MANOVA was used to test for gender differences in LPA. Each measure was also cross-validated using a split-sample approach and the limits of agreement (LoA) method.

RESULTS

With the exception of the Moderate and Vigorous dimensions of the GLTEQ in the case of UPA, the remaining scores of the reference instruments were correlated with both PPA and UPA factors (p<0.05). A significant difference in levels of UPA was found between women and men (p=0.039). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that the BLPAQ subscales could be predicted by the criterion measures. The LoA analyses demonstrated satisfactory agreement between BLPAQ subscales and those of the BQHPA and GLTEQ.

CONCLUSIONS

The BLPAQ is a criterion- and cross-validated measure of PPA and UPA that can be used to assess the efficacy of LPA interventions by researchers and practitioners.