Abstract P066: The 24-hour Movement Guidelines Adherence During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Undergraduate Students From Low-income Region

Abstract

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose profound challenges to society. Its spread has been mitigated through strategies including social distancing; however, this may result in adopting an unhealthy lifestyle. This study tested the associations between 24-hour movement guidelines adherence and undergraduate course characteristics in a low-income region during a COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A sample of 195 undergraduate students (from 18 to 52 years, 68.71% female) was recruited. The data were collected in 2020 in Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil, a city with a Gini Index of 0.56. All data were self-reported electronically by Google forms (https://forms.gle/L92wXsVaxxfPNgpE8). The outcomes were the 24-hour movement guidelines: physical activity (≥ 150 min/week), sedentary behavior (≤ 8 h/day), and sleep time (7-9 h/day). The independent variables were undergraduate study courses (health sciences course vs. other undergraduate courses) and time (≤ 3rd semester vs. > 3rd semester). The potential confounding variables were age, biological sex, ethnicity, income (in minimum wages), marital status, and family members living in the house. We tested the associations based on the odds ratio (OR) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%, obtained by logistic regression. Results: We observed guidelines adherence for physical activity of 48.3%, sedentary behavior of 39.5%, and sleep time of 48.2%. Students from other undergraduate courses (e.g., Business, Law, Social sciences) were more likely to present a low level of physical activity (OR: 2.51 [95%CI: 1.20-4.42]); whereas, non-beginner students were more likely to show a high level of sedentary behavior (OR: 2.00 [95%CI: 1.01-3.99]). Conclusion: Undergraduate students presented low adherence to healthy behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines (physical activity and sedentary behavior) was related to undergraduate courses and years in a low-income region during a COVID-19 pandemic.