Exercise frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal probability survey of the US population.

Wijngaards, I; Del Pozo Cruz, B; Gebel, K; Ding, D

Exercise frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal probability survey of the US population.

Wijngaards, I Del Pozo Cruz, B Gebel, K

Ding, D

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Preventive Medicine Reports, 2022, 25, pp. 1-9
Issue Date:: 2022-02

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wijngaards, I
dc.contributor.author	Del Pozo Cruz, B
dc.contributor.author	Gebel, K https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0330-7756
dc.contributor.author	Ding, D
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-10T04:21:48Z
dc.date.available	2021-12-24
dc.date.available	2022-10-10T04:21:48Z
dc.date.issued	2022-02
dc.identifier.citation	Preventive Medicine Reports, 2022, 25, pp. 1-9
dc.identifier.issn	2211-3355
dc.identifier.issn	2211-3355
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162434
dc.description.abstract	Regular physical activity is important for general health and reduces the risk for COVID-19 infections and for severe outcomes among infected people. However, measures to mitigate COVID-19 likely decrease population physical activity. This study aimed to examine 1) changes in exercise frequency in a representative sample of US adults during the pandemic (04/01/2020-07/21/2021), and 2) how sociodemographic characteristics, pre-COVID health-related behaviors and outcomes, and state-level stringency of COVID-19 containment measures predict exercise frequency. Self-reported exercise frequency and its individual-level predictors were determined based on 151,155 observations from 6,540 adult participants (aged ≥ 18 years) in all US states from the Understanding America Study. State-level stringency of COVID-19 control measures was examined from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. Exercise frequency varied significantly over 28 survey waves across 475 days of follow-up (F 1,473 = 185.5, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.23-1.00), where exercise frequency decreased between April 2020 and January 2021, and then increased from January 2021 to July 2021. Those who were younger, living alone, non-White, had no college degree, lower household income, low pre-pandemic physical activity levels, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension had lower exercise frequency. State-level stringency of COVID-19 control measures was inversely associated with exercise frequency (B = 0.002, SE = 0.001, p < 0.01) between April and December 2020 when the overall stringency level was relatively high; but the association was non-significant (B = 0.001, SE = 0.001, p > 0.05) between January and July 2021, during which the stringency index sharply declined to a low level. This longitudinal probability survey of the US population revealed significant fluctuations in exercise during COVID-19. Low exercise levels are concerning and deserve public health attention. Health inequalities from physical inactivity are likely to exacerbate because of COVID-19. Physical activity promotion in safe environments is urgently warranted, especially in at-risk population subgroups.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Preventive Medicine Reports
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101680
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.title	Exercise frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal probability survey of the US population.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	25
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-10-10T04:21:44Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	25

Abstract:

Regular physical activity is important for general health and reduces the risk for COVID-19 infections and for severe outcomes among infected people. However, measures to mitigate COVID-19 likely decrease population physical activity. This study aimed to examine 1) changes in exercise frequency in a representative sample of US adults during the pandemic (04/01/2020-07/21/2021), and 2) how sociodemographic characteristics, pre-COVID health-related behaviors and outcomes, and state-level stringency of COVID-19 containment measures predict exercise frequency. Self-reported exercise frequency and its individual-level predictors were determined based on 151,155 observations from 6,540 adult participants (aged ≥ 18 years) in all US states from the Understanding America Study. State-level stringency of COVID-19 control measures was examined from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. Exercise frequency varied significantly over 28 survey waves across 475 days of follow-up (F 1,473 = 185.5, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.23-1.00), where exercise frequency decreased between April 2020 and January 2021, and then increased from January 2021 to July 2021. Those who were younger, living alone, non-White, had no college degree, lower household income, low pre-pandemic physical activity levels, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension had lower exercise frequency. State-level stringency of COVID-19 control measures was inversely associated with exercise frequency (B = 0.002, SE = 0.001, p < 0.01) between April and December 2020 when the overall stringency level was relatively high; but the association was non-significant (B = 0.001, SE = 0.001, p > 0.05) between January and July 2021, during which the stringency index sharply declined to a low level. This longitudinal probability survey of the US population revealed significant fluctuations in exercise during COVID-19. Low exercise levels are concerning and deserve public health attention. Health inequalities from physical inactivity are likely to exacerbate because of COVID-19. Physical activity promotion in safe environments is urgently warranted, especially in at-risk population subgroups.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162434