Abstract
Objectives: We assessed whether lockdown had a disproportionate impact on physical activity behavior in groups who were, or who perceived themselves to be, at heightened risk from COVID-19.Methods: Physical activity intensity (none, mild, moderate, or vigorous) before and during the UK COVID-19 lockdown was self-reported by 9,190 adults between 2020-04-06 and 2020-04-22. Physician-diagnosed health conditions and topic composition of open-ended text on participants' coping strategies were tested for associations with changes in physical activity.Results: Most (63.9%) participants maintained their normal physical activity intensity during lockdown, 25.0% changed toward less intensive activity and 11.1% were doing more. Doing less intensive physical activity was associated with obesity (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.08–1.42), hypertension (OR 1.25, 1.10–1.40), lung disease (OR 1.23, 1.08–1.38), depression (OR 2.05, 1.89–2.21), and disability (OR 2.13, 1.87–2.39). Being female (OR 1.25, 1.12–1.38), living alone (OR 1.20, 1.05–1.34), or without access to a garden (OR 1.74, 1.56–1.91) were also associated with doing less intensive physical activity, but being in the highest income group (OR 1.73, 1.37–2.09) or having school-age children (OR 1.29, 1.10–1.49) were associated with doing more. Younger adults were more likely to change their PA behavior compared to older adults. Structural topic modeling of narratives on coping strategies revealed associations between changes in physical activity and perceptions of personal or familial risks at work or at home.Conclusions: Policies on maintaining or improving physical activity intensity during lockdowns should consider (1) vulnerable groups of adults including those with chronic diseases or self-perceptions of being at risk and (2) the importance of access to green or open spaces in which to exercise.
Highlights
The pandemic spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1] was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization on 30 January 20201 and by the end of April 2020 the virus had infected more than 3 million people worldwide, causing more than 200,000 deaths2
There have been growing concerns that the lockdown has placed limitations on opportunities for individuals to be physically active3 [2]. It is well-established that physical activity (PA), a modifiable behavior, is protective against noncommunicable diseases [3,4,5] and that reduced levels of PA may have a negative impact on the control of chronic health problems including metabolic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, and psychiatric conditions; all of which are often better controlled when PA is included as part of the management plan [6]
In this study we identify whether the UK’s lockdown measures have had disproportionate impacts on PA intensity in groups who are, or who perceive themselves to be at risk of worse outcomes of
Summary
The pandemic spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1] was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization on 30 January 20201 and by the end of April 2020 the virus had infected more than 3 million people worldwide, causing more than 200,000 deaths. In order to limit the spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), governments across the globe imposed varying degrees of social distancing advice and nationwide lockdowns. There have been growing concerns that the lockdown has placed limitations on opportunities for individuals to be physically active3 [2]. It is well-established that physical activity (PA), a modifiable behavior, is protective against noncommunicable diseases [3,4,5] and that reduced levels of PA may have a negative impact on the control of chronic health problems including metabolic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, and psychiatric conditions; all of which are often better controlled when PA is included as part of the management plan [6]
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