scholarly journals Effects of Home Confinement on the Intensity of Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Team Handball According to Country, Gender, Competition Level, and Playing Position: A Worldwide Study

Author(s):  
Souhail Hermassi ◽  
El Ghali Bouhafs ◽  
Nicola Luigi Bragazzi ◽  
Shiro Ichimura ◽  
Khaled E. Alsharji ◽  
...  

This study investigated effects of home confinement on physical activity (PA) in Team Handball during the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 1359 handball players participated (age: 23 ± 6 years). Participants from Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa answered an online version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) considering “before” and “during” confinement. COVID-19 home confinement has had a negative effect on PA (vigorous, moderate, walking, and overall). The largest decrease was in the sum parameter “all PA” (MET (metabolic equivalent of task)-min/week, ηp2 = 0.903; min/week, ηp2 = 0.861). Daily sitting time increased from 2.7 to 5.0 h per weekday (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.669). For gender, continent, country, level of handball league, and playing position, no significant differences (group and interaction effects) were observed. The largest change in PA behavior was in walking (minutes per day: ηp2 = 0.755), with males displaying the greatest decrease (from 62 ± 11 to 30 ± 14 min per weekday; d = 2.67). In terms of magnitude, difference between genders was greatest for sitting time (difference in d = 1.20). In conclusion, while COVID-19 measures were essential to preserve public health, PA was compromised and sedentary behavior increased because of these public health measures regardless of gender, playing position, and competition level.

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-21
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Papaspanos

<b>Background:</b> Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on health behaviours and lifestyles at home is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020, in seven languages, to elucidate the behavioural and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the results from the first thousand responders on physical activity (PA) and nutrition behaviours. <b>Subjects and methods:</b> Following a structured review of the literature, the «Effects of home Confinement on multiple Lifestyle Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak (ECLB-COVID19)» Electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists and academics. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. Thirty-five research organisations from Europe, North Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the survey in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Slovenian languages. Questions were presented in a differential format, with questions related to responses «before» and «during» confinement conditions. <b>Results:</b> 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%) were included in the analysis. The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on all PA intensity levels (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall). Additionally, daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 h per day. Food consumption and meal patterns (the type of food, eating out of control, snacks between meals, number of main meals) were more unhealthy during confinement, with only alcohol binge drinking decreasing significantly. <b>Summary:</b> While isolation is a necessary measure to protect public health, results indicate that it alters physical activity and eating behaviours in a health compromising direction. A more detailed analysis of survey data will allow for a segregation of these responses in different age groups, countries and other subgroups, which will help develop interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviours that have manifested during the COVID-19 confinement.


Author(s):  
Achraf Ammar ◽  
Michael Brach ◽  
Khaled Trabelsi ◽  
Hamdi Chtourou ◽  
Omar Boukhris ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundPublic health recommendations and governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on health behaviours and lifestyle at home is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the behavioral and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the preliminary results from the first thousand responders on physical activity (PA) and nutrition behaviours.MethodsThirty-five research organisations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the survey through their networks to the general society, in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portugese, and Slovenian languages. Questions were presented in a differential format with questions related to responses “before” and “during” confinement conditions.Results1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%) were included into a general analysis. The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on all intensities of PA (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall). Conversely, daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 hours per day. Additionally, food consumption and meal patterns (the type of food, eating out of control, snacks between meals, number of meals) were more unhealthy during confinement with only alcohol binge drink decreasing significantly.ConclusionWhile isolation is a necessary measure to protect public health, our results indicate that it alters physical activity and eating behaviours in a direction that would compromise health. A more detailed analysis of survey data will allow for a segregation of these responses in different age groups, countries and other subgroups which will help develop bespoke interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviors manifest during the COVID-19 confinement.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achraf Ammar ◽  
Michael Brach ◽  
Khaled Trabelsi ◽  
Hamdi Chtourou ◽  
Omar Boukhris ◽  
...  

Background: Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on health behaviours and lifestyles at home is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020, in seven languages, to elucidate the behavioural and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the results from the first thousand responders on physical activity (PA) and nutrition behaviours. Methods: Following a structured review of the literature, the “Effects of home Confinement on multiple Lifestyle Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak (ECLB-COVID19)” Electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists and academics. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. Thirty-five research organisations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the survey in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Slovenian languages. Questions were presented in a differential format, with questions related to responses “before” and “during” confinement conditions. Results: 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%) were included in the analysis. The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on all PA intensity levels (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall). Additionally, daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 h per day. Food consumption and meal patterns (the type of food, eating out of control, snacks between meals, number of main meals) were more unhealthy during confinement, with only alcohol binge drinking decreasing significantly. Conclusion: While isolation is a necessary measure to protect public health, results indicate that it alters physical activity and eating behaviours in a health compromising direction. A more detailed analysis of survey data will allow for a segregation of these responses in different age groups, countries and other subgroups, which will help develop interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviours that have manifested during the COVID-19 confinement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 1447-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
DE McGregor ◽  
J Palarea-Albaladejo ◽  
PM Dall ◽  
K Hron ◽  
SFM Chastin

Survival analysis is commonly conducted in medical and public health research to assess the association of an exposure or intervention with a hard end outcome such as mortality. The Cox (proportional hazards) regression model is probably the most popular statistical tool used in this context. However, when the exposure includes compositional covariables (that is, variables representing a relative makeup such as a nutritional or physical activity behaviour composition), some basic assumptions of the Cox regression model and associated significance tests are violated. Compositional variables involve an intrinsic interplay between one another which precludes results and conclusions based on considering them in isolation as is ordinarily done. In this work, we introduce a formulation of the Cox regression model in terms of log-ratio coordinates which suitably deals with the constraints of compositional covariates, facilitates the use of common statistical inference methods, and allows for scientifically meaningful interpretations. We illustrate its practical application to a public health problem: the estimation of the mortality hazard associated with the composition of daily activity behaviour (physical activity, sitting time and sleep) using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).


2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Green ◽  
Myia L. Graves ◽  
Carrie M. Edwards ◽  
Edward P. Hebert ◽  
Daniel B. Hollander

Physical activity enhances physical health, reduces disease, and resists metabolic syndrome and obesity, while sitting for extended periods of time has a negative effect on long term health outcomes. Thus, reducing sitting time has been identified as a health-enhancing goal. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions and responses of college students to sitting versus standing in class. Five standing desks were placed in a classroom of traditional sitting desks. In a counterbalanced, within subjects design, 88 undergraduate students (age M=21.64, SD=6.55 years) participated in the study. Some participating students first stood at a desk for three consecutive class meetings and then sat for three classes while others sat for three consecutive classes and then stood for three. Surveys were administered at the beginning and end of each class and at the end of six consecutive class sessions. Results indicated that mood was signifi- cantly higher on standing than sitting days, the majority of participants had a favorable perception of the standing-in-class experience, and would use standing stations if the option was available. This study is one of few to examine the viability and response to adding standing desks in college classrooms, and indicates standing desks may be perceived favorably and could be utilized to reduce sitting time.


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth M Mabry ◽  
Elisabeth AH Winkler ◽  
Marina M Reeves ◽  
Elizabeth G Eakin ◽  
Neville Owen

AbstractObjectiveTo inform public health approaches for chronic disease prevention, the present study identified sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural correlates of work, transport and leisure physical inactivity and sitting time among adults in Oman.DesignCross-sectional study using the WHO STEPwise study methodology.SettingSur City, Oman.SubjectsMen and women aged 20 years and older (n 1335) in the Sur City Healthy Lifestyle Study who had complete data for demographic variables (gender, age, education, work status and marital status), BMI and behavioural risk factors – smoking and dietary habits plus physical inactivity and sitting time (the outcome variables).ResultsThe highest level of physical inactivity was in the leisure domain (55·4 %); median sitting time was about 2 h/d. Gender-stratified logistic regression models found that the statistically significant (P < 0·05) correlates of inactivity (in one or more domains) were age, work status and fruit and vegetable intake in women, and age, education, work status, marital status and BMI in men. Gender-stratified linear regression models found that the statistically significant correlates of sitting time were age, work status and BMI in women and education in men.ConclusionsFindings suggest that public health interventions need to be gender responsive and focus on domain-specific physical inactivity. In the Omani context, this might include gender-segregated exercise facilities to promote leisure physical activity among women and walking-friendly environmental initiatives to promote transport physical activity among men. Further evidence on barriers to physical activity and factors that influence prolonged sitting is required to develop relevant public health interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 02010
Author(s):  
Rudite Lagzdina ◽  
Maija Rumaka

An adequate amount of physical activity (PA) in adults improves cardio-respiratory fitness, metabolic health and helps maintain a normal body weight and composition. Here we examined sex- and occupation-related PA patterns and their association with body composition parameters. Healthy volunteers (n = 97) aged 21–49 years completed a self-administered PA questionnaire and characterized their occupational duties depending on the volume of the physical work involved. A bio-impedance analyser was used to determine body composition. Men reported more metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes/week of vigorous PA than women (p < 0.05). Participants with low occupational PA had less walking, moderate and total MET minutes/week, and more sitting time than those with moderate and vigorous occupational PA (p < 0.05), but their body composition parameters did not differ. In males, negative correlations were found between body fat percentage, visceral fat range, segmental fat mass, and moderate MET minutes/week, whereas positive associations were observed between muscle mass in legs and vigorous MET minutes/week (p<0.05). In females, negative correlations were found between visceral fat and vigorous MET minutes/week but positive – between lean body mass, trunk and leg muscle mass, and moderate PA (p < 0.05). These observed associations might be used to develop interventions to promote sex- and occupation-specific PA.


Author(s):  
Souhail Hermassi ◽  
Maha Sellami ◽  
Ahmad Salman ◽  
Abdulla S. Al-Mohannadi ◽  
El Ghali Bouhafs ◽  
...  

This study examined the effects of home confinement on physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 outbreak in Qatar. A total of 1144 subjects participated (male: n = 588; female: n = 556; age: 33.1 ± 11.1 years; mass: 76.1 ± 16.4 kg; height: 1.70 ± 0.11 m; body mass index (BMI): 26.1 ± 4.44  kg/m2). Online survey questions considered “before” and “during” confinement. Confinement reduced all PA intensities (ηp2 = 0.27–0.67, p < 0.001) and increased daily sitting time from 3.57 ± 1.47 to 6.32 ± 1.33 h per weekday (ηp2 = 0.67, p < 0.001). The largest reduction was detected for the sum parameter all physical activity (minutes per week, ηp2 = 0.67, p < 0.001; MET (metabolic equivalent of task)-minutes/week, ηp2 = 0.69, p < 0.001). Life satisfaction decreased, with the score for “I am satisfied with my life” (ηp2 = 0.76, p < 0.001) decreasing from 28.1 ± 4.81 to 14.2 ± 6.41 arbitrary units (AU). Concerning life satisfaction, the largest change was detected for the statement “the conditions of my life are excellent” (dmale = 7.93). For all parameters, time effects were indicative of large negative effects in both genders. In terms of magnitude, the difference between gender was greatest for the parameter “the conditions of my life are excellent” (difference between groups, d = 4.84). In conclusion, COVID-19 confinement decreased PA, increased sitting time, and decreased life satisfaction in Qatar. These precautionary findings explicate the risk of psychosocial impairment and the potential physical harm of reducing physical activity during early COVID-19 confinement in 2020.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Souhail Hermassi ◽  
Lawrence D. Hayes ◽  
Ahmad Salman ◽  
Nilihan E. M. Sanal-Hayes ◽  
Emna Abassi ◽  
...  

This study explored the effects of home confinement on physical activity (PA) and satisfaction with life (SL) among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 531 subjects participated [male: n=203; female: n=328; age: 33.1±5.2years; mass: 72.1±17.5kg; height: 1.67±0.12m; and body mass index (BMI): 25.7±5.06 kg/m2]. Online survey questions considered “before” and “during” confinement. Confinement reduced all PA intensities (ηp2=0.09–0.45, p&lt;0.001) and increased daily sitting time (ηp2=0.58, p&lt;0.001). The largest reduction was in moderate intensity PA [metabolic equivalent of task-minutes/week (MET), ηp2=0.45, p&lt;0.001]. SQL decreased, with the score for “I am satisfied with my life” (ηp2=0.42, p&lt;0.001) decreasing from 28.4±5.7 to 20.6±9.7 arbitrary units (AU). Concerning SL, the largest change was detected for “the conditions of my life are excellent” (ηp2=0.54, p&lt;0.001). Time changes in all variables were demonstrative of large negative changes in both sexes. The difference in change between sexes was largest in terms of magnitude for the variable “the conditions of my life are excellent” (difference between groups, Δd=0.98). In sum, COVID-19 confinement reduced PA, heightened sitting time, and reduced SL in Qatar University students. This investigation could have a significant impact in developing PA guidelines for health maintainance during COVID-19 and successive pandemics in university students.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga López Torres ◽  
Pablo Lobo ◽  
Valeria Baigún ◽  
Gabriela F. De Roia

Lifestyle has changed in the last century increasingly promoting sedentary behaviors. Prolonged sitting time is related to increased all-cause mortality risk. Therefore, scientific research aimed at understanding the effects of sitting on health has increased to find effective interventions that can be carried out in life domains (study, work, transport, and free time). The interaction between physical activity and sitting time plays a key role in the development of strategies to promote physical activity practice and reduce sedentary behavior. Accepting that the modern societies incite to spend long periods seated, the aim seems to find a balance between all the areas during the 24 h of the day. Maintaining sleep time, reducing screen leisure time to 3 h/day, and breaking prolonged sedentary time for 2–3 min every 30 min-1 h of sitting, as well as reaching the physical activity recommendation may help counteract the potential negative effect of too much sitting time. Governments must provide active free time options to promote active leisure time and help reduce screen time. At workplaces, managers and companies should encourage sitting breaks and work standing options, and for the special population such as children or older adults, new strategies must be considered to reduce sitting time.


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