Investigation of the Effect of Covid-19 Outbreak on Physical Activity, Perceived Stress, Physical Activity Awareness and Exercise Barriers: a National Study
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seems to have had a major impact on physical activity behavior globally. Therefore, it was aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on physical activity, perceived stress, awareness of physical activity, and exercise barriers nationally. Methods: The survey was sent on-line and data were collected between May 8 and May 31, 2020. The physical activity levels of the respondents were evaluated with the Physical Activity (PA) Questionnaire - Short Form and stress levels with the Perceived Stress Scale. The awareness of exercise and barriers to exercise were questioned with qualitative questions. One-way ANOVA, the Chi-squared test, and Pearson Correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data. Findings: Evaluation was made of 1087 participants aged 18-76 years. During the COVID-19 outbreak, 70% of Turkish adults had inadequate physical activity, which was a higher rate than national and global prevalence. It was observed that the perceived stress level was different in terms of PA levels (F: 23·948, p <0·001), and individuals with vigorous-intensity PA levels had lower stress levels, and individuals with low-intensity PA levels had higher stress levels. The stress levels (p <0·001) and inactivity levels (p <0·001) of females were higher than those of males, and the 18-29 age group had a higher stress level than other age groups (p <0·001). There was a weak negative correlation between perceived stress level and PA ( r:-0 · 203, p<0 · 001 ), and between PA and sitting time ( r:-0 · 147 p<0 · 001 ), whereas a weak positive correlation was found between perceived stress level and sitting time ( r:0 · 166, p<0 · 001 ). Although more than 50% of the participants had high physical activity awareness, only 22·40% were exercising. Interpretation: The precautions taken during the COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey were seen to have a negative effect on physical activity and stress levels, and the most affected groups in this outbreak were females and young adults. Home-based exercises can support the protection of physical and mental health, and avoid the risk of inactivity-related health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak. Funding: There is no funding support for the study. Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflict of interests to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the IRB and was conducted in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration.
DOI: 10.21653/tjpr.856453
Institution: Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University
Language: English
Topic: Physical Activity and Health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4251399926