Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the time in physical activity (PA) [light (LPA), moderate and vigorous (MVPA)] and sedentary behavior (SB) (weekdays, weekends, or both) between Medical (MED) and Physical Education (PE) students who underwent remote classes imposed by the COVID-19. In addition, we compared symptoms of depression and anxiety and sleep quality.Methods: A cross-sectional study (272 MED and 95 PE students). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Beck Inventory (Anxiety, Depression), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality were used to assess PA and SB, anxiety and depression symptoms, and quality of sleep, respectively. The data are presented as median and interquartile intervals 25–75.Results: We observed statistically significant differences between MED and PE students for MVPA [MED: 165 min per week (0–360) vs. PE: 420 min per week (180–670), p < 0.001], SB Total [MED: 10 h per day (8–12) vs. PE: 7 h per day (5–10), p < 0.001)], and anxiety symptoms [MED: 13 points (5–23) vs. PE: six points (2–16), p < 0.001)].Conclusion: Together, our findings indicate that MED students spent less time in MVPA and more time in SB than PE students. MED students also presented worse mental health in the pandemic situation imposed by the COVID-19.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic [1] led the world population to adopt preventive measures, such as hygiene habits, and to maintain social distancing and home isolation to control the spread of the virus
The sample of MED students was predominantly composed of females (79%), while the sample of physical education (PE) students was composed mainly of males (63%)
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of the MED students and 57% of the PE students reported spending more than 8 h in SB
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic [1] led the world population to adopt preventive measures, such as hygiene habits, and to maintain social distancing and home isolation to control the spread of the virus. In this scenario, common activities were drastically affected, such as work routine, [2] leisure-related activities [3], and regular classes at schools and universities [4]. Negative mental alterations such as depression and anxiety symptoms may lead to a poor physical activity-related lifestyle (e.g., lower PA and higher SB), establishing a “vicious cycle” among these conditions [11, 14]
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