Abstract
Strategies implemented worldwide to contain COVID-19 outbreaks varied in severity across different countries, and established a new normal for work and school life (i.e., from home) for many people, reducing opportunities for physical activity. Positive relationships of physical activity with both mental and physical health are well recognised, and therefore the aim was to ascertain how New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions impacted physical activity, mental health and wellbeing. Participants (n = 4007; mean ± SD: age 46.5 ± 14.7 years, 72% female, 80.7% New Zealand European) completed (10–26 April 2020) an online amalgamated survey (Qualtrics): International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-9; World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index; Stages of Change Scale. Positive dose–response relationships between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores were demonstrated for estimates that were unadjusted (moderate activity OR 3.79, CI 2.88–4.92; high activity OR 8.04, CI 6.07–10.7) and adjusted (confounding variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, time sitting and co-morbidities) (moderate activity 1.57, CI 1.11–2.52; high activity 2.85, CI 1.97–4.14). The study results support previous research demonstrating beneficial effects of regular physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. Governments may use these results to promote meeting physical activity guidelines in order to protect mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and future pandemics.
Highlights
There was an apparent dose-dependent relationship between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores; a relationship that remained strong after controlling for age, gender, sitting time, comorbidities, income and exercise intentions
Our findings add further support to the importance of engaging in regular physical activity, as this is associated with maintaining mental health
Our findings suggest that there was a dose-dependent relationship between physical activity and mental health and wellbeing scores
Summary
Engagement in physical activity is a major determinant of health, and when one’s ability to be physically active is restricted, health is compromised [1]. Exposure of humans to the Novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forced governments around the world to develop containment strategies in attempts to restrict the spread of the virus. A deleterious consequence of such containment strategies is the potential reduction in physical activity opportunities and increased sedentary activities such as use of computers and televisions or working from home (the latter eliminates active transport or active job environments) [2,3,4,5,6,7]. As a consequence of lockdowns worldwide, is a negative effect on mental health and wellbeing, especially in individuals who may be at risk of
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