Changes in Sitting Time, Screen Exposure and Physical Activity during COVID-19 Lockdown in South American Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Kabir P Sadarangani,Carlos Cristi-Montero,Gabriela F De Roia,Lee Smith,Mark A Tully,Igor Grabovac,Robinson Chavez,David Martinez-Gomez,Nicola Veronese,Felipe B Schuch,Gerson Ferrari,Hosam Alzahrani,Alejandro Gil-Salmerón,Cristina M Caperchione,Pablo Lobo,Marco Solmi,Jacob Meyer

doi:10.3390/ijerph18105239

Abstract

The worldwide prevalence of insufficient physical activity (PA) and prolonged sedentary behavior (SB) were high before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Measures that were taken by governments (such as home confinement) to control the spread of COVID-19 may have affected levels of PA and SB. This cross-sectional study among South American adults during the first months of COVID-19 aims to (i) compare sitting time (ST), screen exposure, moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) before and during lockdown to sociodemographic correlates and (ii) to assess the impact of lockdown on combinations of groups reporting meeting/not-meeting PA recommendations and engaging/not-engaging excessive ST (≥7 h/day). Bivariate associations, effect sizes, and multivariable linear regressions were used. Adults from Argentina (n = 575) and Chile (n = 730) completed an online survey with questions regarding demographics, lifestyle factors, and chronic diseases. Mean reductions of 42.7 and 22.0 min./day were shown in MPA and VPA, respectively; while increases of 212.4 and 164.3 min./day were observed in screen and ST, respectively. Those who met PA recommendations and spent <7 h/day of ST experienced greatest changes, reporting greater than 3 h/day higher ST and more than 1.5 h/day lower MVPA. Findings from the present study suggest that efforts to promote PA to South American adults during and after COVID-19 restrictions are needed.

Highlights

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, are the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]
Mean reductions on average of 42.7 (±101.0) min/day in moderate PA (MPA) and 22.0 (±66.2) min/day in vigorous PA (VPA) were shown for the total sample, with major variations in Chile and Argentina, respectively
This study is the first in South America indicating the detrimental effects of COVID-19 isolation on MPA, VPA, sitting time (ST), and SE in adults

Summary

Introduction

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, are the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. These diseases share four behavioral risk factors including consumption of tobacco and alcohol, unhealthy diet, and insufficient physical activity (PA) [2]. In order to tackle low levels of PA, measures such as the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan have been initiated [7]. The levels of PA remain low, and social distancing restrictions put in place to reduce transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in further declines in levels of PA

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