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

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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Exercise and the brain in multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458520969099 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 135245852096909

Author(s):

Brian M Lozinski ◽

V Wee Yong

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Animal Models ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Well Being ◽

Physically Active ◽

Brain Functions ◽

The Impact ◽

The Brain

While people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) historically were advised to avoid physical activity to reduce symptoms such as fatigue, they are now encouraged to remain active and to enlist in programs of exercise. However, despite an extensive current literature that exercise not only increases physical well-being but also their cognition and mental health, many PwMS are not meeting recommended levels of exercise. Here, we emphasize the impact and mechanisms of exercise on functional and structural changes to the brain, including improved connectome, neuroprotection, neurogenesis, oligodendrogenesis, and remyelination. We review evidence from animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS) that exercise protects and repairs the brain, and provide supportive data from clinical studies of PwMS. We introduce the concept of MedXercise, where exercise provides a brain milieu particularly conducive for a brain regenerative medication to act upon. The emphasis on exercise improving brain functions and repair should incentivize PwMS to remain physically active.

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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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The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity Behavior and Well-Being of Canadians

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17113899 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (11) ◽

pp. 3899 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Iris A. Lesser ◽

Carl P. Nienhuis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

National Parks ◽

Online Survey ◽

Physical Activity Behaviour ◽

Physical Activity Behavior ◽

Well Being ◽

Active Population ◽

Activity Behavior ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

The Impact

A global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in restrictions to daily living for Canadians, including social distancing and closure of city and provincial recreation facilities, national parks and playgrounds. The objective of this study was to assess how these preemptive measures impacted physical activity behaviour and well-being of Canadians. An online survey was utilized to measure participant physical activity behavior, nature exposure, well-being and anxiety levels. Results indicate that while 40.5% of inactive individuals became less active, only 22.4% of active individuals became less active. Comparatively, 33% of inactive individuals became more active while 40.3% of active individuals became more active. There were significant differences in well-being outcomes in the inactive population between those who were more active, the same or less active (p < 0.001) but this was not seen in the active population. Inactive participants who spent more time engaged in outdoor physical activity had lower anxiety than those who spent less time in outdoor physical activity. Public health measures differentially affected Canadians who were active and inactive and physical activity was strongly associated with well-being outcomes in inactive individuals. This suggests that health promoting measures directed towards inactive individuals may be essential to improving well-being.

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The impact of participation in extra-curricular physical activity on males from disadvantaged schools

European Physical Education Review ◽

10.1177/1356336x15625381 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 60-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sarahjane Belton ◽

Paul Prior ◽

Eric Wickel ◽

Catherine Woods

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Well Being ◽

Multinomial Regression ◽

Physical Competence ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Physically Active ◽

Study Results ◽

The Impact ◽

Academic Year ◽

Health And Well Being

Extra-curricular physical activity (ECPA) may have an important role to play in the health and well-being of adolescents, but the actual benefits are relatively unknown. This study examined ECPA participation amongst adolescent males (age 12–15 years) from disadvantaged backgrounds, and evaluated its impact on overall physical activity (PA) accumulation and psychological well-being. At three time points over a single academic year, participants from four schools ( n = 174) wore a pedometer for seven days and completed a questionnaire assessing habitual PA, frequency of ECPA participation, barriers to ECPA participation and seven psychosocial subscales. An average year-long score was calculated for each participant, for each variable. Across seasons, 84% of participants reported regular (≥ twice a week) or occasional (once a week) participation in ECPA. Those reporting regular participation in ECPA were significantly ( p < .01) more active (steps/day) and scored higher ( p < .01) on each psychosocial subscale. Results of multinomial regression analysis showed that perceived physical competence ( p < .001) had a significant main effect on ECPA participation. Our study results indicate that students from disadvantaged backgrounds whom participate in ECPA at least once a week are significantly more physically active and have a higher level of psychological well-being than those who never participate.

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Feeling refreshed

European Physical Education Review ◽

10.1177/1356336x15624895 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 41-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dominique Banville ◽

Pamela Hodges Kulinna ◽

Ben Dyson ◽

Michalis Stylianou ◽

Rachel Colby ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Education ◽

Content Knowledge ◽

Situated Learning ◽

School Environment ◽

Well Being ◽

Physically Active ◽

Student Focus ◽

Group Interviews ◽

The Impact

The purpose of this study was to identify students’ perspectives of the role of healthy behaviours in their well-being and school success. Since a number of studies focused on establishing the link between healthy behaviours and learning have relied on quantitative measures, it was deemed important to provide a different perspective on the topic and give students a voice. Participants were 50 Aotearoa/New Zealand nine- and 10-year-old students of various ethnic backgrounds from two elementary schools. Using situated learning theory to determine the impact a school environment that promotes physical activity has on students’ perspectives, four categories were drawn from student focus-group interviews: (1) opportunities to be active, (2) roles of physical activity, (3) students’ misconceptions of health concepts, and (4) students’ support for health education and physical education at their schools. Students in this study were afforded multiple opportunities to be physically active and acknowledged the benefits these bouts of activities gave them while differentiating the types of opportunities and value they gained from them. Within their community of practice, students were sometimes ‘full’ participants as their knowledge was fully constructed, and sometimes ‘peripheral’ participants, needing more time, active engagement and content knowledge to better grasp some concepts. Little health education content knowledge was provided to classroom teachers, which might have caused some of the misconceptions held by students related to the impact of physical activity and nutrition on their brain function.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Societal Infection Control Measures on Children and Adolescents' Mental Health: A Scoping Review

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.711791 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jamile Marchi ◽

Nina Johansson ◽

Anna Sarkadi ◽

Georgina Warner

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Infection Control ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Measures ◽

Parenting Support ◽

Infection Control Measures ◽

The Impact

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is primarily a crisis that affects people's physical health. However, it is well-known from previous epidemics and pandemics that there are other indirect negative impacts on mental health, among others. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore and summarise primary empirical research evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic and societal infection control measures have impacted children and adolescents' mental health.Methods: A literature search was conducted in five scientific databases: PubMed, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINHAL, and Social Science Premium Collection. The search string was designed using the Population (0–18 years), Exposure (COVID-19), Outcomes (mental health) framework. Mental health was defined broadly, covering mental well-being to mental disorders and psychiatric conditions.Results: Fifty-nine studies were included in the scoping review. Of these, 44 were cross-sectional and 15 were longitudinal studies. Most studies reported negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent mental health outcomes, yet the evidence was mixed. This was also the case for studies investigating societal control measures. Strong resilience, positive emotion regulation, physical activity, parental self-efficacy, family functioning and emotional regulation, and social support were reported as protective factors. On the contrary, emotional reactivity and experiential avoidance, exposure to excessive information, COVID-19 school concerns, presence of COVID-19 cases in the community, parental mental health problems, and high internet, social media and video game use were all identified as potentially harmful factors.Conclusions: Due to the methodological heterogeneity of the studies and geographical variation, it is challenging to draw definitive conclusions about the real impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents. However, the existing body of research gives some insight to how parents, clinicians and policy makers can take action to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and control measures. Interventions to promote physical activity and reduce screen time among children and adolescents are recommended, as well as parenting support programs.

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Effects of Physical Activity and Training Routine on Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Curfew

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624035 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jelena Sokić ◽

Stanislava Popov ◽

Bojana M. Dinić ◽

Jovana Rastović

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Early Stage ◽

Elite Athletes ◽

Sports Participation ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Physically Active ◽

Recreational Athletes ◽

And Training

This research aimed to explore the effects of physical activity and training routine on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and the proclaimed emergency state and curfew. To measure the mental health components of psychological distress and subjective well-being, two studies were conducted on different samples: Study 1 during the beginning of curfew in Serbia (N = 678) and Study 2 during the ending phase (N = 398). The results of Study 1 showed that elite athletes as well as those with high level of physical activity experienced the lowest distress. Furthermore, effects of the changes in the training routine on distress among physically active individuals depended on the level of sports participation with elite athletes who reduced trainings showing lower anxiety compared to recreational athletes who reduced trainings as well or kept the same training routine. Thus, we could conclude that in the early stage of the pandemic, elite athletes showed better mental health and adaptability to the crisis situation. Results of Study 2 showed that although all the participants had decreased well-being during the curfew, compared to the period before the pandemic and the curfew, there were no differences in well-being between elite and recreational athletes, who had higher well-being compared to non-athletes. However, this effect held both before and during the curfew showing that physically active individuals did not additionally benefit from this decrease compared to the non-active. Furthermore, athletes who became physically inactive showed lower well-being compared to those who kept the same training routine. Thus, in the later stage of the pandemic, prolonged physical inactivity had negative effects on mental health.

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Influence of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Physical and Psychosocial Well-being and Work Productivity of Remote Workers: Cross-sectional Correlational Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.30708 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yessica Abigail Tronco Hernández ◽

Fabio Parente ◽

Mark A Faghy ◽

Clare M P Roscoe ◽

Frances A Maratos

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Work Productivity ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Remote Workers ◽

Distress Scale ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND Lockdowns imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the living and working habits of millions of people, with potentially important implications for their physical, mental, and social well-being. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on remote workers who were not directly affected by COVID-19. METHODS This was a correlational cross-sectional study (with an additional qualitative component) of 184 remote workers surveyed during the first COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. Standard measures of mental health (Kessler-6 Distress Scale), productivity (Brief Instrument to Assess Workers’ Productivity During a Working Day), and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) were used, and respondents were further surveyed on changes to their dietary, exercise, smoking, drinking, and socialization habits to produce a well-being change index. RESULTS The results revealed associations between sedentary behavior and poorer mental health (τb=0.14) and between poorer mental health and low work productivity (τb=–0.39). However, both positive and negative lifestyle changes were reported; a self-reported increase in well-being (with respect to diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, and socialization) since the start of the pandemic was associated with both better mental health (τb=–0.14) and better work productivity (τb=0.14). Of note, among respondents without a mental health diagnosis (137/184, 74.4%), we observed rates of moderate (76/137, 55.5%) and severe (17/137, 12.4%) psychological distress, which were markedly higher than those reported in large prepandemic studies; moreover, 70.1% (129/184) of our respondents reported more sedentary behavior, 41% (69/168) increased their alcohol consumption, and 38.6% (71/184) increased their overall food intake. However, 46% (75/163), 44.8% (39/87) and 51.8% (57/110) of respondents reported spending more time walking and engaging in more moderate and vigorous exercise, respectively. Qualitative analysis revealed many positive adaptations to lockdowns (eg, decreased commuting expenses, flexibility) but also a number of structural obstacles to remote working (eg, lack of support and high expectations from employers, childcare duties). CONCLUSIONS These findings may be of practical importance for policy makers and employers in a world in which work involves long-term remote or hybrid employment arrangements; strategies to promote more sustainable remote working are discussed.

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The Relationships Between Physical Activity Behavior, Daily Experiences, and Well-Being in Everyday Life

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.162 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 43-44

Author(s):

Erica O'Brien ◽

David Almeida ◽

Christiane Hoppmann

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Analytical Techniques ◽

Physical Activity Behavior ◽

Well Being ◽

Positive Events ◽

Physically Active ◽

Adult Lifespan ◽

Moderating Factors ◽

Stressful Experiences ◽

Negative Impacts

Abstract A physically active lifestyle has several health benefits in both the short- and long-term. This includes higher levels of emotional and psychological well-being and, in many cases, maintained well-being despite stressful experiences that can have countervailing, negative impacts on health. This symposium presents innovative research that (a) links physical activity to positive and negative events or experiences in middle-aged and older adults, and that (b) uses different assessment and analytical techniques to unpack these links on multiple timescales – between moments, days, and years. Lee and colleagues investigate the influence of daily positive experiences on the likelihood and extent of physical activity. O’Brien and Almeida examine how daily stressor experiences predict engagement in different intensities of physical activity and highlight moderating factors such as perceived stressor control. Puterman and colleagues characterize the real-time associations between physical activity and negative responses to stressful experiences by using intensive, within-day assessment methods and accelerometry data. Lastly, Benson and colleagues report on whether the potential for daily physical activity to protect against negative stressor responses differs with age and changes across the adult lifespan. Together, these papers consider the nature and mechanisms of the relationship between physical activity and everyday experiences (e.g., stressors and positive events). They also underscore the importance of assessing relationships on different timescales to obtain a clearer understanding of intrapersonal and developmental processes. As discussant, Hoppmann will assess the strengths and limitations of these papers, elaborate on underlying and overarching themes, and identify future directions in this field.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US College Students’ Physical Activity and Mental Health

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2020-0325 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 272-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Oliver W.A. Wilson ◽

Kelsey E. Holland ◽

Lucas D. Elliott ◽

Michele Duffey ◽

Melissa Bopp

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Significant Decline ◽

Spring Semester ◽

The Impact

Background: Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both physical activity (PA) and mental health is important to demonstrate the need for interventions. This study examined the apparent impact of the pandemic on college students’ PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Methods: From 2015 through 2020, data were collected at the beginning and end of the spring semester at a large Northeastern US university via an online survey assessing student demographics, PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Mixed ANOVA examined differences in PA and mental health changes over the spring semester between “normal” and COVID-19 circumstances. Two-way ANOVA examined the interaction between circumstance and changes in PA in relation to changes in mental health. Results: Participants (n = 1019) were predominately women and non-Hispanic white. There was a significant decline in PA and an increase in perceived stress under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances and a significant increase in depressive symptoms under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances among women. Conclusions: A significant decline in PA and mental health among college students occurred under COVID-19 circumstances, and PA did not appear to protect against deterioration in mental health. Proactive and innovative policies, programs, and practices to promote student health and well-being must be explored immediately.

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