Physical Activity among Adults Residing in 11 Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Kele Ding, Jingzhen Yang, Ming-Kai Chin, Lindsay Sullivan, J. Larry Durstine, Verónica Violant-Holz, Giyasettin Demirhan, Nara R.C. Oliveira, Biljana Popeska, Garry Kuan, Waheeda Khan, Jianhui Dai, Xia Xu, Zornitza Mladenova, Govindasamy Balasekaran, Gary A. Smith and on behalf of Global Community Health-COVID-19 Collaborative Research Team
Additional contact information
Kele Ding: School of Health Science, College of Education Health & Human Service, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
Jingzhen Yang: Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
Ming-Kai Chin: Foundation for Global Community Health, Las Vegas, NV 89012, USA
Lindsay Sullivan: Discipline of Children’s Studies, School of Education, National University of Ireland, H91 Galway, Ireland
J. Larry Durstine: Department of Exercise Science, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Verónica Violant-Holz: Department of Didactics and Educative Organization, University of Barcelona, 08015 Barcelona, Spain
Giyasettin Demirhan: Department of Physical Education and Sport Teaching, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
Nara R.C. Oliveira: Department of Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Santos 11015, Brazil
Biljana Popeska: Faculty of Educational Sciences, Goce Delcev University, 2000 Stip, North Macedonia
Garry Kuan: Exercise and Sports Science, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
Waheeda Khan: Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram 122505, India
Jianhui Dai: School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
Xia Xu: Hubei Key Laboratory of Sport Training and Monitoring, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan 430079, China
Zornitza Mladenova: Association of Touristic Animators, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Govindasamy Balasekaran: National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637616, Singapore
Gary A. Smith: Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
on behalf of Global Community Health-COVID-19 Collaborative Research Team: Members listed at end of report.

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: During the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, physical activity (PA) behaviors were altered worldwide due to public health measures such as “lockdown.” This study described PA among adults residing in 11 countries during COVID-19 lockdown and examined factors associated with PA engagement. We conducted a cross-sectional anonymous survey among adults (?18 years old) in 11 countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, China, India, Ireland, Malaysia, North Macedonia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, United States). Of 11,775 participants, 63.7% were female and 52.8% were 18–34 years old. More than 40% of participants were insufficiently active (43.9%) and reported a decrease in their PA during lockdown (44.8%). Statistically significant differences were observed in (1) proportions of participants being insufficiently active, (2) level of PA, and (3) decrease in PA across the 11 countries. More stringent governmental policy responses were associated with greater likelihood of being insufficiently active during lockdown (adjusted odds ratio = 1.22, 95% confidence interval = 1.03, 1.45). Higher depression or anxiety scores were associated with greater likelihood of decreased level of PA during lockdown.We found substantial reductions in PA levels during COVID-19 lockdown across countries. Country-specific PA promotion interventions are needed during this and similar global emergencies.

Keywords: changes in physical activity; governmental policy responses; insufficiently active (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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