Implementing a Physical Activity Consultation Clinic during a Global Pandemic

The global pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) resulted in restrictions which forced adolescents to stay at home and influenced their food habits and lifestyles with potential negative health impact. This study aims to investigate the self-reported physical activity (PA) and eating habits related to the consumption of Mediterranean foods in a sample of adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown enrolled into the DIMENU study. A web survey was launched for 91 adolescents (aged 15–17 years) to assess their adherence to the Mediterranean Diet using the KIDMED test and lifestyle habits using a questionnaire designed following recommendations by Italian National Institute of Health (ISS score). Our results indicate that most of the sample declared no changes in eating habits and PA without sex differences. After dividing the sample into active and sedentary groups based on the self-perceived PA, we found that KIDMED and ISS scores were significantly higher (p = 0.0028 and p = 0.0001, respectively) in active adolescents. Moreover, KIDMED was positively correlated with ISS only in active adolescents (r = 0.311, p = 0.0185). In conclusion, our data underline the impact of the PA on the Mediterranean diet adherence in adolescents during the lockdown, suggesting the usefulness of promoting wellness programs directed towards inactive individuals to increase their awareness on the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity practice of people with disabilities

EDUCATION SCIENCES AND SOCIETY ◽

10.3280/ess1-2021oa11886 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 240-251

Author(s):

Márcia Greguol ◽

Cristiana Conti ◽

Bruno Marson Malagodi ◽

Bruna Barboza Seron ◽

Elaine Cappellazzo Souto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Habits ◽

People With Disabilities ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

World Population ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Physically Active ◽

Healthy Habits ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

The Impact

The global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 has profoundly changed the daily life of most of the world population. People with disabilities have been particularly affected by these changes, which often have accentuated their isolation and marginalization also due to greater difficulties in accessing healthcare services. People with disabilities have also been impacted in relation to their ability to participate in physical activity with even more adverse consequences for their quality of life and health. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity practice of people with disabilities and to understand the changes that caregivers have perceived for the participation in physical activity of this specific population. It emerged that, regardless of the type of disability, people with this condition experienced drastic reductions in their physical activity levels during the pandemic and in most cases did not have access to any type of remote guidance. Furthermore, a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior and negative changes in eating habits have been reported by the caregivers, highlighting the need for specific strategies and initiatives for people with disabilities to maintain healthy habits and a physically active lifestyle.

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Implications of Engaging in Regular Exercise and Reducing Sedentary Behavior During a Global Pandemic: An Immuno-metabolic Perspective in Patients with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

10.20944/preprints202010.0270.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jabeur Methnani ◽

Dorra Amor ◽

Narimen Yousfi ◽

Ali Bouslama ◽

Asma Omezzine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

High Energy ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Adaptive Mechanism ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Light Activity

Many reports showed a dramatic decrease in the levels of physical activity during the current pandemic of SARS-COV-2. This has substantial immunometabolic implications, especially in those at risk or with metabolic diseases including individuals with obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Here we discuss the route from physical inactivity to immnometabolic aberrancies; focusing on how insulin resistance could represent an adaptive mechanism to the low physical activity levels and/or high energy intake and on how such an adaptive mechanism could derail to be a pathognomonic feature of metabolic diseases creating a vicious circle of immune and metabolic aberrancies. We provide a theoretical framework to the severe immunopathology of COVID-19 in patients with metabolic diseases. We finally discuss the idea of exercise as a potential adjuvant against COVID-19 and emphasize how even interrupting prolonged periods of sitting with short time breaks of very light activity could be a feasible strategy to limit the deleterious effects of sedentary behavior.

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Physical activity level during COVID-19 global pandemic and its relation to well-being

Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi ◽

10.24998/maeusabed.876017 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Murat TOMRUK ◽

Melda SOYSAL TOMRUK ◽

İsmail ÇALIK

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Level ◽

Well Being ◽

Activity Level ◽

Global Pandemic

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Children Living a Global Pandemic: Anxiety Repercussions

10.5772/intechopen.98212 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Salvador I. Garcia-Adasme ◽

Alejandro López-Escobar

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Media ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Multiple Organ ◽

School Closures ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Wide Range ◽

Anxiety Levels ◽

Children’S Anxiety

A global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is still beaten our world. The disease, termed COVID-19 by the WHO, has a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from a mild, self-limiting form of the disease to multiple organ failure and death, forcing governments to take measures to mitigate the transmission and reduce the economic impact. However, the paediatric manifestation appears to take a milder form of the disease but they are not oblivious to the consequences of the disease. They suffered personal and parental lost, broke their social relationships, forced to home confinement, school closures, all of them with secondary implications. As a result, children’s anxiety levels and manifestations have increased during pandemic. To prevent and counteract this situation, measures were implemented like increase physical activity, a balanced diet, and regular sleep pattern; and in relationship sphere use social media to stay in touch with school mates and relatives.

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204 Changes in Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic Associated with Changes in Sleep

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.203 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A82-A82

Author(s):

Harun Abdi ◽

William Killgore ◽

Chloe Wills ◽

Kathryn Kennedy ◽

Jonathan Charest ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Daytime Sleepiness ◽

Well Being ◽

Online Surveys ◽

Sleep Health ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Falling Asleep ◽

The Relationship ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Age And Sex

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 global pandemic has likely led to changes in physical activity as behavioral patterns were disrupted. This is important because sleep and physical activity are interrelated and promote health, and well-being. This study examined whether changes to physical activity were related to changes to sleep health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A sample of N=419 US adults completed online surveys about sleep and COVID-19 experiences. Participants were asked to estimate the number of minutes per day they engaged in physical activity during the pandemic, as well as before. These were subtracted from each other, and a difference score was computed. Then, responses were categorized as no change (<=15 mins difference), 16-45 minutes more or less activity, or 46+ minutes more or less activity (5 categories total). Outcome variables included the degree to which participants believed that due to the pandemic, they experienced (1) more schedule regularity, (2) better sleep, (3) worse sleep, (4) more difficulty falling asleep, (5) more difficulty maintaining sleep, (6) more sleepiness, and (7) more napping. Ordinal regressions were adjusted for age, and sex. Results Those who increased their activity by over 45 minutes per day reported that they were less likely to experience more daytime sleepiness (oOR=0.28, p<0.02). Those who decreased their activity by over 45 minutes per day reported that they were more likely to experience worse sleep (oOR=2.38, p<0.01) and less likely to experience a more regular schedule (oOR=0.37, p<0.003) than prior to the pandemic. Conclusion Overall, those who increased their physical activity since the beginning of the pandemic reported less daytime sleepiness; and those who decreased their physical activity reported worse sleep experiences and a more irregular schedule. The relationship between physical activity and sleep during the pandemic may be bidirectional. Support (if any) R01MD011600, R01DA051321

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Physical activity during the coronavirus disease-2019 global pandemic

Journal of Sport and Health Science ◽

10.1016/j.jshs.2020.06.004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 291-292

Author(s):

Barbara E. Ainsworth ◽

Fuzhong Li

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Global Pandemic

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The post 16 gap: how do young people conceptualise PE? An exploration of the barriers to participation in physical education, physical activity and sport in senior school pupils

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2021-0003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Joe G. Cowley ◽

Ian McIntosh ◽

John Kiely ◽

Dave J. Collins

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Education ◽

Young People ◽

Team Sports ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Physical Educators ◽

Physical Literacy ◽

High Quality ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Adult Fitness

Abstract Previous studies have identified several key barriers to Physical Education, Physical activity and Sport (PEPAS). However, there is a paucity of qualitative evidence investigating why young people do and do not participate in PA and the relationship between their levels of participation at different stages of life. This study builds on a previous study and aims to investigate the barriers to PEPAS in adolescents at transition stage. The extant literature highlights that instilling regular PA throughout life strongly relies on developing physical literacy through participation in high quality physical education. Despite the understanding of the importance of high quality physical education, there is an over emphasis on the short term outcomes of physical education (PE) sessions which have been noted to overemphasise immediate physical activity rather than focus on educational outcomes important to physical literacy. Anecdotally, the recent Covid 19 Global pandemic and subsequent lockdown has resulted in a digitalisation of PE in schools and a subsequent reliance of PA programmes based on adult fitness classes, which may not necessarily be categorised as PE in its true sense. Twenty-four respondents aged 16–19 were divided into five focus groups. Data were analysed verbatim using NVivo following the guidelines by Braun and Clark (2006) on thematic analysis. The findings indicated that most respondents equated PE with team sports. Findings suggest that Physical Educators need to acknowledge how past and present experience of PE impacts young people’s future motivation to continue PA beyond school. Delivery of traditional PE lessons, prioritising sporting ability, can act as a participation barrier to pupils who consider themselves “non-sporty”. Accordingly, a shift towards inclusive pedagogical models with an emphasis on a holistic approach, may best promote the physical literacy necessary for the competence and confidence to continue movement in a lifelong capacity.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s Physical Activity Behavior and Mental Well-Being

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17239036 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (23) ◽

pp. 9036

Author(s):

Carl P. Nienhuis ◽

Iris A. Lesser

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Behavior ◽

Well Being ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Chi Square ◽

Physically Active ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Physical Activity Programming ◽

The Impact

Background: A global pandemic caused by COVID-19 resulted in restrictions to daily living for Canadians, including social distancing and closure of recreation facilities and provincial parks. Methods: The objective of this study was to assess whether sex differences exist in physical activity and well-being since COVID-19 and to explore how barriers or facilitators to physical activity may explain these differences. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate data provided by 1098 Canadians—215 men and 871 women. Results: Women were significantly less physically active than men and reported more barriers and fewer facilitators to physical activity and experienced significantly more generalized anxiety than men. Women who were engaged in less physical activity due to COVID-19 reported significantly lower mental health scores, lower social, emotional and psychological well-being, and significantly higher generalized anxiety, while women who engaged in more physical activity had improved mental health scores. Conclusions: Given the challenges that women uniquely face due to restrictions, it is imperative to advocate and provide environmental opportunity and support for physical activity to reduce the mental duress women may be experiencing. Specific physical activity programming that is inclusive of lifestyle physical activity and can engage children is encouraged.

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Effectiveness of the Fun for Wellness Web-Based Behavioral Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Adults With Obesity (or Overweight): Randomized Controlled Trial

JMIR Formative Research ◽

10.2196/15919 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. e15919 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nicholas D Myers ◽

Adam McMahon ◽

Isaac Prilleltensky ◽

Seungmin Lee ◽

Samantha Dietz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Direct Effect ◽

Behavioral Intervention ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

The United States ◽

Web Based ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Insufficient Physical Activity

Background Insufficient physical activity in the adult population is a global pandemic. Fun for Wellness (FFW) is a self-efficacy theory- and Web-based behavioral intervention developed to promote growth in well-being and physical activity by providing capability-enhancing opportunities to participants. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of FFW to increase physical activity in adults with obesity in the United States in a relatively uncontrolled setting. Methods This was a large-scale, prospective, double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Participants were recruited through an online panel recruitment company. Adults with overweight were also eligible to participate, consistent with many physical activity–promoting interventions for adults with obesity. Also consistent with much of the relevant literature the intended population as simply adults with obesity. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (ie, FFW) or the usual care (ie, UC) group via software code that was written to accomplish equal allocations to the FFW and UC groups. Data collection was Web based, fully automated, and occurred at three time points: baseline, 30 days after baseline (T2), and 60 days after baseline (T3). Participants (N=461) who were assigned to the FFW group (nFFW=219) were provided with 30 days of 24-hour access to the Web-based intervention. A path model was fit to the data consistent with the FFW conceptual model for the promotion of physical activity. Results There was evidence for a positive direct effect of FFW on transport-related physical activity self-efficacy (beta=.22, P=.02; d=0.23), domestic-related physical activity self-efficacy (beta=.22, P=.03; d=0.22), and self-efficacy to regulate physical activity (beta=.16, P=.01; d=0.25) at T2. Furthermore, there was evidence for a positive indirect effect of FFW on physical activity at T3 through self-efficacy to regulate physical activity at T2 (beta=.42, 95% CI 0.06 to 1.14). Finally, there was evidence for a null direct effect of FFW on physical activity (beta=1.04, P=.47; d=0.07) at T3. Conclusions This study provides some initial evidence for both the effectiveness (eg, a positive indirect effect of FFW on physical activity through self-efficacy to regulate physical activity) and the ineffectiveness (eg, a null direct effect of FFW on physical activity) of the FFW Web-based behavioral intervention to increase physical activity in adults with obesity in the United States. More broadly, FFW is a scalable Web-based behavioral intervention that may effectively, although indirectly, promote physical activity in adults with obesity and therefore may be useful in responding to the global pandemic of insufficient physical activity in this at-risk population. Self-efficacy to regulate physical activity appears to be a mechanism by which FFW may indirectly promote physical activity in adults with obesity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03194854; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03194854.

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