Modified Worker’s Living Activity-time Questionnaire (WLAQ) English version

You will be asked about your “workday.” Please try to recall the events of the past monthor so, and try to imagine how your “average workday” was.
Q1. On the day before a workday (includes going to bed after midnight), when is your bedtime? This is defined as
the time when you get into bed (such as lying down on a bed) and not the time of falling asleep. Additionally, at whattime do you wake up on a workday? This is defined as the time you actually get out of bed as opposed to the time
when you wake up.
Bedtime on the day before a workdayhWake-up time on workdays

minh(24-h notation)min(24-h notation)

Q2. On a working day, at what time do you leave home and at what time do you arrive at work? If you are a fulltime housewife, use your home as your workplace and do not commute, check a box ✓ next to “No commute” andmention the time when you start your work.
Time you leave homehTime you arrive at work (morning/afternoon)minh(24-h notation)min(24-h notation)

No commute ( ) ⇒ work start time () (h) () (min)(24-h notation)

Q3. Regarding the one-way commuting time (duration between departing home and arriving at work) in Q2,
which of the following transportation methods do you use, and how long do you spend in each mode oftransportation? Even if commuting time differs depending on the day, please answer based on an average day.
A) Time spent on foot (including running) or on a bicycle() minB) Time spent sitting in a car, motorbike, train, bus/at a station, etc. () minC) Time spent standing on a train, bus/at a station, etc.

() minD) Other time() min* The total of one-way commuting time should be the sum of A to D.
Q4. At what time do you usually leave your workplace after finishing work on a workday?
hmin(24-h notation)

Q5. During the working hours of an average day (excluding commuting time), what do you think is the percentageof time you spend (1) sitting vs. (2) standing or walking? ‘Sitting time’ is defined as desk work, meetings, travel
time by car, motorbike, train, and bus; and at a station. ‘Time spent standing or walking’ refers to time on foot or useof a bicycle. Please consider the sum of both the times for totaling up to 100%.
A) Time spent sittingB)

Time spent standing or walking()%()%

1Q6. How much breathing-inducing (heart rate increasing) tasks do you perform on an average day during yourworking hours (excluding commuting time)? Please select one answer from 1 to 4.
1) none/almost none2) rarely3) sometimes4) oftenWith regard to free time on workdays
Q7. Regarding leisure time excluding “sleep,” “commuting,” and “work,” (your free time after work, time spent on
doing housework, leisure time at home, etc.) on a workday, select the description from 1 to 4 that best describes
your situation.
Note) Time spent in cars and motorbikes is considered “sitting time,” whereas time spent riding a bicycle orexercising is considered “time spent standing or walking.”
1) Most time is spent sitting or lying down

2) More time is spent sitting or lying down

3) More time is spent standing or walking4) Most time is spent standing or walking

Q8. In your leisure time on a workday (such as leisure after work or time at home), how much intentional physicalactivity do you engage in (i.e., walking, jogging, going to the gym, playing in a sports team or at school, etc.)? Please
select one option that best describes your situation.
1) none/almost none

2) 1–3 days a month3) 1 or 2 days a week4) ≥3 days a week

Q9. If options 2–4 were selected from Q8, please provide the average exercise time per day.
1) <15 min2) 15–30 min

3) 31–60 min4) >60 min

Q10. If options 2–4 were selected from Q8, please tell us the approximate intensity of the exercise per session.
1) No sweating or panting
2) Sweating and panting (heart rate increases)
3) Strained breathing4) To the point of exhaustion→Next page2The questions below concern holidays (i.e., days without work). Please recall the events ofthe past month or so, and try to imagine how your “average holiday” was.
Q11. When is your bedtime (includes going to bed after midnight) the day before a holiday? This is defined as thetime when you get into bed (such as lying down on a bed) and not the time of falling asleep. Additionally, at whattime do you wake up on a holiday? This is defined as the time you actually get out of bed as opposed to the time
when you wake up.
Bedtime the day before a holiday

hWake-up time on holiday

minh(24-h notation)min(24-h notation)

Q12. Excluding the time spent sleeping on a holiday, what do you think is the ratio of the time you spend sitting
or lying down vs. standing or walking? Please consider the sum of both the times for totaling up to 100%.
A) Time spent sitting or lying down()%B) Time spent standing or walking()%

Q13. On holidays, how much intentional physical activity do you engage in (i.e., walking, jogging, going to thegym, playing on a sports team or schools, etc.)? Please select one option that best describes your situation.
1) none/almost none

2) 1–2 days a month3) Once a week4) ≥2 days a week

Q14. If options 2–4 were selected from Q13, please provide the average exercise time per day1) <15 min2) 15–30 min

3) 31–60 min4) >60 min

Q15. If options 2–4 were selected from Q13, please tell us the approximate intensity of the exercise per session.
1) No sweating or panting
2) Sweating and panting (heart rate increases)
3) Strained breathing4) To the point of exhaustion

Thank you for your time.

3Calculations


Sleeping time on a workday: Q1 (min)Commuting time: Q2 (min)Working time: Q2 and Q4 (min)

Daily rest period: Q2 and Q4 (min)Sitting time during commuting time: Q3B (min)Sitting time during working time: working time × proportion of sitting time (%, in Q5A)



Sitting time during free time on a workday: (1440 min − sleeping time on a workday − working time − 2 × commutingtime) × proportion of sitting time (in Q7, option #1: 90%, #2: 60%, #3: 40%, and #4: 10%) (min)

Sleeping time on a non-workday: Q11 (min)Sitting time on a non-workday: (1440 min − sleeping time on a non-workday) × proportion of sitting time (%, inQ12A) (min)PA score (0–44 points) = Q6 (option #1: 0 points, #2: 3 points, #3: 5 points, and #4: 10 points) + Q8 (#1: 0 points, #2:1 point, #3: 2 points, and #4: 3 points) + Q9 (#1: 1 point, #2: 2 points, #3: 3 points, and #4: 4 points) + Q10 (#1: 0points, #2: 3 points, #3: 5 points, and #4: 10 points) + Q13 (#1: 0 points, #2: 1 point, #3: 2 points, and #4: 3 points) +Q14 (#1: 1 point, #2: 2 points, #3: 3 points, and #4: 4 points) + Q15 (#1: 0 points, #2: 3 points, #3: 5 points, and #4:10 points). If the respondent selected option #1 in Q8, the scores for Q9 and Q10 should be 0. Similarly, if therespondent selected option #1 in Q13, the scores for Q14 and Q15 should be 0.

．
Estimated VO2max (ml/kg/min) = 59.96 −0.23 × age + 7.39 × sex (0: women, 1: men) −0.79 × BMI + 0.33 × PA score*Values for age, sex and BMI (body height and weight) are not included in the WLAQ.

References
1.

Matsuo T, Sasai H, So R, Ohkawara K. Percentage-method improves properties of workers’ sitting- and walking-timequestionnaire. Journal of Epidemiology, 26(8):405-12, 2016.

2.

Matsuo T, So R, Sasai H, Ohkawara K. Evaluation of Worker's Living Activity-time Questionnaire (JNIOSH-WLAQ)
primarily to assess workers' sedentary behavior. Sangyo Eiseigaku Zasshi. 59(6):219-228, 2017. Japanese.

3.

Matsuo T, So R, Takahashi M. Workers' physical activity data contribute to estimating maximal oxygen consumption:a questionnaire study to concurrently assess workers' sedentary behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness. BMC PublicHealth. Jan 8;20(1):22, 2020. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8067-4.

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