Impact of Social Isolation on Physical Activity and Factors Associated With Sedentary Behavior in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the impact of social isolation on moderate physical activity and factors associated with sedentary behavior of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study involving 111 older adults (aged 71.0 ± 6.87 years). The data were collected at two time points: in November 2019 and in June 2020. There was a decline in moderate physical activity when the minutes/week were compared before and during social isolation (p < .001). Sedentary behavior was associated with the condition of living alone. Older adults who lived alone were 3.29 times more likely to spend 4 hr or more in sedentary behavior than those who lived with a partner (95% confidence interval [1.01, 10.74]). Government agencies must establish PA-related health promotion strategies, especially in developing and low-income countries. Therefore, home exercises need to be encouraged to prevent the consequences of this pandemic period.

Association between social isolation and reduced mental well-being in Swedish older adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of cardiometabolic diseases

“…Social isolation has been identified as a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke [16]. Furthermore, several studies have linked social isolation during the pandemic to reduced levels of physical activity among older adults [17][18][19][20], but additional research is needed to determine whether this translates to a worsening of glycemic control or the severity of cardiovascular disease.…”

Social isolation, loneliness, and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from two large prospective cohorts in Europe and East Asia and Mendelian randomization

“… 9 Studies have shown that loneliness and social isolation are associated with activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, leading to enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity, increased release of inflammatory cytokines, and increased oxidative stress, 10 , 11 which directly contribute to the development of T2DM. In addition, social isolation and loneliness are associated with poor weight control, 12 high tobacco uses, 13 , 14 low physical activity, 15 and poor sleep quality, 16 , 17 which indirectly increase the risk of T2DM. 18 , 19 …”

“If I want to be able to keep going, I must be active.” Exploring older adults’ perspectives of remote physical activity supports: a mixed-methods study

“…Older adults often faced more severe public health restrictions than other populations, due to their higher vulnerability for negative outcomes ( 19 , 20 ). While these measures were crucial in preventing COVID-19 infections and lowering mortality rates, they also had adverse physical and psychosocial impacts on older adults, such as decreased social interaction and restricted access to facilities and programs, including those related to physical activity ( 21 , 22 ). As a result, opportunities for physical activity among older adults were severely limited during the pandemic, with observed declines in both incidental and structured physical activity levels ( 23 , 24 ).…”