Physical Activity and Perceived Physical Fitness during the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Population of 40- to 69-Year-Olds in Japan

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an abrupt change in lifestyle for many people with restrictions, often leading to a decrease in physical activity (PA), and thus contributing to a negative perception of health status. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic on physical activity and perceived physical fitness in Japanese adults aged 40 to 69 years. Data were collected from an online survey conducted between October 19 and 28, 2020. The analytic sample consisted of 1989 Japanese adults (mean age, 50.1 ± 6.9 years; women, 38.9%) who were aged between 40 and 69 years and completed the online survey. Overall, the PA time per week decreased by 32.4% between October 2019 and April 2020. A decrease in PA time was recorded in October 2020; however, a decline of 15.5% was observed. Compared to individuals who did not perceive a decline in physical fitness, individuals who perceived declining physical fitness during the COVID-19 state of emergency demonstrated a greater decrease in PA time in April 2020 (–50.5%), and this trend continued into October 2020 (–25.0%). These findings may indicate that Japanese adults aged 40 to 69 years who perceived declining physical fitness experienced a greater decrease in physical activity.

Relationships among changes in walking and sedentary behaviors, individual attributes, changes in work situation, and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

“…Previous studies have shown a similar trend in outing and walking behaviors ( Adachi et al, 2021 , Hanibuchi et al, 2021 , Hino and Asami, 2021 ), and this could be attributed to more walks for daily activities before the pandemic among younger individuals and residents in urban area, thereby resulting in a significant decrease in the number of steps. Additionally, sedentary behavior clearly increased among females, similar to previous reports that showed that females became inactive during the outbreak in Japan ( Hanibuchi et al, 2021 , Hino and Asami, 2021 , Makizako et al, 2021 ). Containment measures such as school closure or self-isolation may have increased the burden of housework on females ( Hanibuchi et al, 2021 , Power, 2020 ), making them more inactive.…”

“…Several studies have documented decreased physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan ( Adachi et al, 2021 , Hino and Asami, 2021 , Makizako et al, 2021 , Yamada et al, 2020 ). However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association of changes in physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan with the demographic, socioeconomic, and geographical attributes, and changes in work situation and perception of anxiety, simultaneously.…”

“…In Japan, decreased physical activity was observed during the COVID-19 outbreak ( Hino and Asami, 2021 , Makizako et al, 2021 , Yamada et al, 2020 ). Hino and Asami (2021) suggested that proximity to large parks could effectively mitigate decreased walking among female older adults during the SoE.…”

Pain and physical activity changes during the COVID-19 state of emergency among Japanese adults aged 40 years or older

“…Responders who reported a history of stroke, Parkinson disease, dementia, depression, and/or other neurological disorders known to influence reduced PA and cognitive impairment were excluded. [ 23 , 24 ] In addition, based on a previous study, [ 24 ] responders who reported more than 960 min/day or 0 min/day of total PA time and more than a tenfold change (increasing or decreasing) in total PA were also excluded. Finally, data from 1967 middle-aged and older Japanese adults were analyzed.…”

Association between Regular Exercise and Self-Rated Health and Sleep Quality among Adults in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…COVID-19 continued to be a global issue in 2021 [ 1 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic caused changes in lifestyle and health behavior, such as physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, among people of all ages, including university students, middle-aged adults, and older adults [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Sustained physical inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on future health outcomes.…”