Scottish Health Survey: content review outcomes report
This report summarises changes that have and will be made to the content of the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) from 2024 onwards. Some of these changes do not apply to the 2024 survey and will be made to future years.
Annex 10 - Physical activity module
Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)
Next I am going to ask you about the time you spend doing different types of physical activity in a typical week. Please answer these questions even if you do not consider yourself to be a physically active person.
Think first about the time you spend doing work. Think of work as the things that you have to do such as paid or unpaid work, study/training, household chores, harvesting food/crops, , gardening, housework or seeking employment. [Insert other examples if needed]. In answering the following questions 'vigorous-intensity activities' are activities that require hard physical effort and cause large increases in breathing or heart rate, 'moderate-intensity activities' are activities that require moderate physical effort and cause small increases in breathing or heart rate.”
Activity at work
Q1 Does your work involve vigorous-intensity activity that causes large increases in breathing or heart rate like [carrying or lifting heavy loads, digging or construction work] for at least 10 minutes continuously?
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q4
Q2 In a typical week, on how many days do you do vigorous-intensity activities as part of your work?
Number of days ____
Q3 How much time do you spend doing vigorous-intensity activities at work on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Q4 Does your work involve moderate-intensity activity that causes small increases in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking [or carrying light loads] for at least 10 minutes continuously?
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q 7
Q5 In a typical week, on how many days do you do moderate-intensity activities as part of your work?
Number of days ____
Q6 How much time do you spend doing moderate-intensity activities at work on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Travel to and from places
The next questions exclude the physical activities at work that you have already mentioned.
Now I would like to ask you about the usual way you travel to and from places. For example to work, for shopping, to market, to place of worship. [insert other examples if needed]
Q7 Do you walk for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places?
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q10
Q8 In a typical week, on how many days do you walk for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places?
Number of days ____
Q9 How much time do you spend walking for travel on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Q10 Do you use a bicycle (cycle) for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places?
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q13
Q11 In a typical week, on how many days do you bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places?
Number of days ____
Q12 How much time do you spend bicycling for travel on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Recreational activities
The next questions exclude the work and transport activities that you have already mentioned.
Now I would like to ask you about sports, fitness and recreational activities (leisure), [insert relevant terms].
Q13 Do you do any vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) activities that cause large increases in breathing or heart rate like [running or football,] for at least 10 minutes continuously?
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q13
Q14 In a typical week, on how many days do you do vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) activities?
Number of days ___
Q15 How much time do you spend doing vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Q16 Do you do any moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) activities that causes a small increase in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking,(cycling, swimming, volleyball)for at least 10 minutes continuously?
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
1 Yes
2 No If No, go to Q16
Q17 In a typical week, on how many days do you do moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) activities?
Number of days ____
Q18 How much time do you spend doing moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) activities on a typical day?
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Sedentary behaviour
The following question is about sitting or reclining at work, at home, getting to and from places, or with friends including time spent [sitting at a desk, sitting with friends, travelling in car, bus, train, reading, playing cards or watching television], but do not include time spent sleeping.
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
Q19 How much time do you usually spend sitting or reclining on a typical day? Hours : minutes
└─┴─┘: └─┴─┘
hrs mins
Muscle strengthening
The next question is going to ask about activities you do that work your muscles.
These activities could include things like heavy gardening, carrying heavy objects eg shopping or children, stair climbing, running/jogging, football, exercises (eg press-ups, sit-ups) hillwalking, cycling, golf, aerobics and dancing. These activities could be carried out as part of your job.
Q. How many days in a typical week have you done activities that develop or maintain strength in your muscles?
Motivation and barriers to physical activity
VERSION A ONLY
[REASSPRT]
SHOW CARD E7
I would like to ask you some more detail about the last time you did (activity/activities). What were your reasons for doing it/them?
CODE ALL THAT APPLY
1 To keep fit (not just to lose weight)
2 To lose weight
3 To take children
4 To socialise
5 To train/take part in a competition
6 To improve my performance
7 Just enjoy it
8 To help with my injury or disability
9 Part of my voluntary work
10 To walk the dog
11 For health reasons/to improve health
12 For peace and quiet
13 To de-stress, relax and unwind
14 To feel closer to nature
15 Other (RECORD AT NEXT QUESTION)
[REASSPRTO]
INTERVIEWER: WRITE IN OTHER ANSWER GIVEN
[MREASSPRT] SHOW CARD E7
And which of these was your main reason?
1 To keep fit (not just to lose weight)
2 To lose weight
3 To take children
4 To socialise
5 To train/take part in a competition
6 To improve my performance
7 Just enjoy it
8 To help with my injury or disability
9 Part of my voluntary work
10 To walk the dog
11 For health reasons/to improve health
12 For peace and quiet
13 To de-stress, relax and unwind
14 To feel closer to nature
15 Other (RECORD AT NEXT QUESTION)
[MREASSPRTO]*
INTERVIEWER: WRITE IN OTHER ANSWER GIVEN
VERSION A (Rotating questions asked every two years of around two thirds of the sample)
[Barsprt]
SHOW CARD E8
Looking at this card, are there any particular reasons why you haven't done any/more sport in the last 4 weeks?
CODE ALL THAT APPLY
1 It costs too much `
2 No one to do it with
3 Never occurred to me
4 Not really interested
5 Fear of injury/making current injury worse
6 I wouldn't enjoy it
7 Health isn't good enough
8 I might feel uncomfortable or out of place
9 Facilities are too far away
10 Not enough information on what is available
11 It’s difficult to find the time
12 I already do enough
13 Other (RECORD AT NEXT QUESTION)
14 No reason
[BarsprtO]*
INTERVIEWER: WRITE IN OTHER ANSWER GIVEN.
[Barspmai]
SHOW CARD E8
And which of these was your main reason?
1 It costs too much
2 No one to do it with
3 Never occurred to me
4 Not really interested
5 Fear of injury/making current injury worse
6 I wouldn't enjoy it
7 Health isn't good enough
8 I might feel uncomfortable or out of place
9 Facilities are too far away
10 Not enough information on what is available
11 It’s difficult to find the time
12 I already do enough
13 Other
[BarspmaO]*
INTERVIEWER: WRITE IN OTHER ANSWER GIVEN.
Location of physical activity
VERSION A (Rotating questions asked every two years of around two thirds of the sample)
[PAWhere]
SHOW CARD E9
In the past 4 weeks have/has (you/your child) made use of any of the places listed on this
card for any of the physical activities you have just told me about, for example for walking,
cycling, sports or doing any heavy housework or gardening?
1 A woodland, forest or tree covered park
2 An open space or park
3 Country paths (not on tarmac)
4 A beach/sea shore/loch/river or canal
5 Sports fields or outdoor courts (e.g. tennis, 5-a-side)
6 A swimming pool
7 A gym or sports centre
8 Pavements or streets in your local area
9 A playground or playpark
10 Your home or garden
11 Somewhere else (record at next question)
12 No-not used any of these
[PAWhereO]*
INTERVIEWER: WRITE IN OTHER ANSWER GIVEN.
[PAOften]
IF PAWhere=1 TO 11 THEN
ASKED FOR EACH PLACE MENTIONED [PAOfte1] to [PAOfte12]
SHOW CARD E10
How often in the past 4 weeks have/has (you/your child) made use of (name of place) for
physical activity?
1 Every day
2 4-6 days a week
3 2-3 days a week
4 Once a week
5 2-3 times in the last 4 weeks
6 Once in the last 4 weeks
7 Varies too much to say
Contact
ScottishHealthSurvey@gov.scot
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