How COVID-19 pandemic impacted the students and staff physical activity? A study in a Southern Brazilian University

Abstract

Physical activity and its positive effects on coronavirus have been extensively discussed in the literature. However, there is still lack of evidence on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the health-related behaviors of the Brazilian university community. The aim of the present study is to describe physical activity practice during the coronavirus pandemic among students and staff of a southern Brazilian university, as well as its association with sociodemographic characteristics. This was a self-administered web-based cross-sectional study, carried out among a southern Brazilian community. The main outcome for this study was leisure time physical activity during the coronavirus pandemic. Considering only leisure-time, 21.0% and 24.0% of the students and staff, respectively, reported achieving physical activity recommendations (≥150 minutes per week). There was a decline of more than 15 percentage points in physical activity practice comparing pre- and during the pandemic, and those following the protocols of staying at home presented lower levels of leisure-time physical activity. Physical activity practice was mainly performed at home and without any professional help. Leisure-time physical activity prevalence during the pandemic was relatively low among students and staff, and participants that followed staying at home protocols presented lower levels of physical activity.