A Pandemic within the Pandemic? Physical Activity Levels Substantially Decreased in Countries Affected by COVID-19

Jan Wilke, Lisa Mohr, Adam S. Tenforde, Pascal Edouard, Chiara Fossati, Marcela González-Gross, Celso Sánchez Ramírez, Fernando Laiño, Benedict Tan, Julian David Pillay, Fabio Pigozzi, David Jimenez-Pavon, Bernhard Novak, Johannes Jaunig, Mandy Zhang, Mireille van Poppel, Christoph Heidt, Steffen Willwacher, Gustavo Yuki, Daniel E. Lieberman, Lutz Vogt, Evert Verhagen, Luiz Hespanhol and Karsten Hollander
Additional contact information
Jan Wilke: Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60488 Frankfurt, Germany
Lisa Mohr: Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60488 Frankfurt, Germany
Adam S. Tenforde: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
Pascal Edouard: Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University Jean Monnet, 42000 Saint Etienne, France
Chiara Fossati: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Marcela González-Gross: ImFine Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Celso Sánchez Ramírez: Sciences of Physical Activitiy, Sports and Health School, University of Santiago of Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170020, Chile
Fernando Laiño: Fundación Instituto Superior de Ciencias de la Salud, Buenos Aires 1885, Argentina
Benedict Tan: Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
Julian David Pillay: Basic Medical Sciences Department, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4001, South Africa
Fabio Pigozzi: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
David Jimenez-Pavon: Exercise Is Medicine, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Bernhard Novak: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Johannes Jaunig: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Mandy Zhang: Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
Mireille van Poppel: Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Christoph Heidt: Department of Orthopedics, University Children’s Hospital Basel, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
Steffen Willwacher: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
Gustavo Yuki: Masters and Doctoral Programs in Physical Therapy, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID), Sao Paulo 03071-000, Brazil
Daniel E. Lieberman: Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Lutz Vogt: Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60488 Frankfurt, Germany
Evert Verhagen: Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University Medical Centers-Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Luiz Hespanhol: Masters and Doctoral Programs in Physical Therapy, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID), Sao Paulo 03071-000, Brazil
Karsten Hollander: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Governments have restricted public life during the COVID-19 pandemic, inter alia closing sports facilities and gyms. As regular exercise is essential for health, this study examined the effect of pandemic-related confinements on physical activity (PA) levels. A multinational survey was performed in 14 countries. Times spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as well as in vigorous physical activity only (VPA) were assessed using the Nordic Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form). Data were obtained for leisure and occupational PA pre- and during restrictions. Compliance with PA guidelines was calculated based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). In total, n = 13,503 respondents (39 ± 15 years, 59% females) were surveyed. Compared to pre-restrictions, overall self-reported PA declined by 41% (MVPA) and 42.2% (VPA). Reductions were higher for occupational vs. leisure time, young and old vs. middle-aged persons, previously more active vs. less active individuals, but similar between men and women. Compared to pre-pandemic, compliance with WHO guidelines decreased from 80.9% (95% CI: 80.3–81.7) to 62.5% (95% CI: 61.6–63.3). Results suggest PA levels have substantially decreased globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key stakeholders should consider strategies to mitigate loss in PA in order to preserve health during the pandemic.

Keywords: coronavirus; health; exercise; guidelines (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 (28)

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