Loneliness and physical activity: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment and accelerometry study

This study examined how loneliness relates to physical activity at between-person and within-person (daily and momentary) levels. Adults in committed relationships (n = 291; ages 40-70) completed a dispositional loneliness measure and participated in an 8-day ecological momentary assessment paired with accelerometry. Loneliness was assessed three times daily via self-report, with partners providing end-of-day ratings of participants' loneliness. Physical activity indices (e.g. active time) were derived for the full 8-day period, for each day, and for 20-60-minute windows before and after each momentary prompt. Dispositional loneliness was unrelated to mean-level physical activity. At the day-level, no accelerometer-based measures were associated with partner-rated evening loneliness. At the momentary-level, physical activity before each prompt was unrelated to self-reported loneliness, and momentary loneliness did not predict later activity. Overall, loneliness was unrelated to physical activity across between-person, daily, and momentary analyses. Results may reflect a true null effect or sample characteristics.