Physical Activity during COVID-19 Lockdown: Data from an Italian Survey

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments to impose quarantines and lockdowns as containment strategy, raising concerns about mental health and low level of physical activity performed by quarantined populations. In this study, we assess the level of physical activity and psychological wellbeing in a sample of the Italian population during lockdown through an online format of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Psychological General Well-Being index—Short version (PGWB-S) . Of 317 adult responders considered, most were female (61.2%), young adults (52.4%), living in little-to-medium size cities (80.1%) and with high-level education (62.8%). Most of our sample performed physical activity mostly during leisure time and domestic activities, and 60.9% were highly active. No interactions were found between physical activity and the demographic characteristics considered. Subjects performing high level of physical activity felt more energetic and vital than those with moderate (p < 0.0001) and low levels (p < 0.0001) of physical activity. Our participants performed enough activity to satisfy the WHO Guidelines, mainly due to domestic activity and activity performed during leisure time, with an overall moderately positive psychological reaction to lockdown.

Differences in the Association between Physical Activity and People’s Resilience and Emotions during Two Consecutive Covid-19 Lockdowns in Israel

“…Moreover, no differences were seen in the participants' PA levels between the two waves. The same levels of PA engagement have been reported by other researchers, such as [36], who found that of a sample of 317 Italian adults, 60.9%were highly active during lockdown. In a study by [37] that included 217 participants, being sufficiently active was reported to be higher prior to the pandemic (68.2% of the participants) compared to 60.6% during COVID-19.…”

A Review Article on Exercise Intolerance in Long COVID: Unmasking the Causes and Optimizing Treatment Strategies

“…A sample of individuals who increased or maintained their physical activity levels during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic reported better mental health scores compared to a group that did not keep their physical activity levels. Lower physical activity levels were also correlated with increased anxiety levels in the study group [ 49 ]. A systematic review of longitudinal studies with university students during the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that lifestyle changes, including increased sedentary behaviors, time spent studying individually, internet use, and decreased physical activity levels, are significant risk factors in students’ mental health status [ 50 ].…”

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters

“…Findings provided by several studies conducted in the last two years reported that high levels of distress, anxiety, and depression are major effects of the pandemic [ [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] ]. In Italy, the level of well-being in the general population during the COVID-19 emergency has been evaluated by some studies using the General Psychological Wellbeing Index (PGWBI) questionnaire, and their findings highlighted that the application of restrictive measures induced high levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, loss of control or vitality, and a minor perception of general health [ [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] ], while on the other hand, vitality, positivity, and well-being are positively correlated with higher traits of dynamism and a lower perception of vulnerability [ 13 ]. Moreover, in the pandemic period, sports and general activities were drastically reduced, thus determining a reduction in physical activity and an increase in screen time and sedentary behaviors, which are factors proven to affect the PWB [ 11 , 12 ].…”