Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Amid Confinement: The BKSQ-COVID-19 Project

Abstract

Background

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has compelled implementing confinement measure across the globe. These measures can potentially lead to many changes in lifestyle. However, no studies examined the effect of COVID-19-induced confinement on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB).

Methods

During April and May of 2020, the current study surveyed changes in PA and SB induced by COVID-19 confinement.

Results

The participants of the study were 1844. Among the participants who were regularly involved in PA, the majority (41.8–42.2%) of the participants reported a “decrease” (p<0.05) in walking, jogging, and sports while the majority (46.3–53.1%) reported a “no change” (p<0.05) in swimming, cycling, and weight lifting. With regard to the SB, most of the participants reported an “increase” in watching TV (72.3%), using electronics (82.7%), and logging to social media (81.9%). Additionally, gender, job type, obesity, and being worried to contract the disease were associated (p<0.05) with changes in PA. On the other hand, age, gender, obesity, job type and income were related (p<0.05) to changes in SB.

Conclusion

Results of the current study might enhance knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle, particularly PA and SB. Subsequently, it can also be used to establish strategies to enhance engagement in activities during the current and future pandemics.

Keywords:

• physical activity
• sedentary behavior
• confinement
• COVID-19
• pandemic

Acknowledgment

Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library. The project was supported by the Deanship of Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan (Grant number: 245/2020).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.