Abstract
This study assessed the effects of COVID-19 home confinement on physical activity, sedentary behavior, smartphone use, and sleep patterns. Data was collected in a sample of 20 young adults (mean age ± SD: 22.6 ± 3.4 years; 55% males) over seven days pre- and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Objective and subjective physical activity (Accelerometer and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), respectively), the number of hours sitting (IPAQ), objectively-measured smartphone use (smartphone screen time applications), and objective and subjective sleep (accelerometer and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively) were assessed. Results revealed significantly greater walking time and mean steps (p < 0.001, d = 1.223 to 1.605), and moderate and vigorous physical activity (p < 0.05, d = 0.568 to 0.616), in the pre- compared with the during-COVID-19 lockdown phase. Additionally, smartphone use (p = 0.009, d = 0.654), sitting time (p = 0.002, d = 1.120), and total sleep (p < 0.004, d = 0.666) were significantly greater in the during- compared with the pre-COVID-19 lockdown phase. Multiple regressions analyses showed associations between physical activity and sedentary behavior and sleep quality. The number of hours sitting per day and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity significantly predicted deep sleep (adj.R2 = 0.46). In conclusion, this study revealed that during the COVID-19 outbreak, behaviors changed, with participants spending less time engaging in physical activity, sitting more, spending more time using the smartphone, and sleeping more hours. These findings may be of importance to make recommendations, including lifestyle modifications during this time.
Highlights
Social-distancing and home quarantine have been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to minimize the speed of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread
The present paper presents preliminary data on physical activity, sedentary behavior, smartphone use, and sleep patterns before and during home confinement during the COVID-19 lockdown, collected from wearable devices and by smartphones, which may be altered by changes in lifestyle due to social isolation [4]
This study assessed the effects of home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, sedentary behavior, smartphone use, and sleep patterns, by collecting objective smartphone use and objective physical activity data
Summary
Social-distancing and home quarantine have been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to minimize the speed of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread. Spain is one of the most affected countries worldwide, despite the lockdown being imposed on 14 March 2020 During this period, citizens have been forced to be isolated at home, prioritizing telecommuting and remaining at home except for “essential” tasks (e.g., purchasing groceries and medications, assisting those who are sick or disabled); outdoor physical activities have been suspended. This confinement is associated with a series of changes in our daily life activities, which usually lead to a sedentary behavior characterized by decreases in physical activity [1,2,3], increased sedentary (sitting) behavior [1], and an increase in the use of screen devices [4,5]. Research on the effects of the pandemic restrictions on physical activity can be considered a global public health need [7]
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