Practical Recommendations for Maintaining Active Lifestyle during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Diminished volumes of habitual physical activity and increased sedentary levels have been observed as a result of COVID-19 home-confinement. Consequences of inactivity, including a higher mortality rate and poorer general health and fitness, have been reported. This systematic review aimed to provide practical recommendations for maintaining active lifestyles during pandemics. In May 2020, two electronic databases (PubMed; Web of Science) were used to search for relevant studies. A total of 1206 records were screened by two researchers. Thirty-one relevant studies were included in this systematic review, in which the methodological quality was assessed. With regard to six studies, which explicitly dealt with physical activity during COVID-19, the evidence level is classified by three articles to level II, and in the other three to level VI. Regarding the physical activity recommendations in these papers, three of them were classified to a medium, and the same number to a weak evidence base. Of the 25 papers which refer to other pandemics and/or isolation situations, one was classified to evidence level I, four were ranged to level II, three to level III, one to level V, and the others to level VI. This systematic review revealed that reduced physical activity levels are of serious concern during home confinement in pandemic times. The recommendations provided by many international organizations to maintain active lifestyles during these times mainly target the general population, with less consideration for vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, people with health issues). Therefore, personalized and supervised physical activity programs are urgently needed, with the option to group-play physical activity programs (e.g., exergames). These can be assisted, delivered, and disseminated worldwide through information and communication technology solutions. If it is permitted and safe, being active outside in daylight is advised, with an effort level of mild to moderate using the rating of perceived exertion scale. Relaxation techniques should be integrated into the daily routine to reduce stress levels. On the evidence base and levels of the included articles in this review, the results need to be interpreted with caution. Given that policies are different across regions and countries, further research is needed to categorize recommendations according to different social-distancing scenarios.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on University Students' Physical Activity Levels: An Early Systematic Review

“…In times of pandemic crisis, government and university leaders across these countries need to implement measures and advice to encourage this population to increase and maintain adequate levels of PA, as recently suggested by the WHO (Bull et al, 2020 ). In this context, a set of practical recommendations on how to be active outdoors and indoors during the current and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can be applied to university students (Bentlage et al, 2020 ; Ammar et al, 2021 ). Physical activity programs, individually tailored to the participant's fitness level, should be developed.…”

The Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 Home Confinement and Physical Activity: A Structural Equation Model Analysis

“…In the same paradigm, a study reported that overall physical activity and outdoor physical activity declined due to COVID-19 lockdown ( Lesser and Nienhuis, 2020 ). The decreased levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary lifestyle activity have been recognized as major problems arising from the outbreak while home detention ( Bentlage et al, 2020 ). In the context of the above results, similar findings have been reported in a study regarding physical activity during Spain’s lockdown period.…”

Perceived Crowding and Risk Perception According to Leisure Activity Type during COVID-19 Using Spatial Proximity

“…The pandemic inevitably caused the closure of facilities such as gyms, parks, playgrounds, outdoor play zones, and schools [ 4 ]. Even as outdoor activities are prioritized over indoor activities in multi-use facilities that are more vulnerable to the spread of viruses, outdoor leisure activities remain restricted [ 5 , 6 ]. Thus, people are attracted to partially permitted outdoor leisure spaces and tourist destinations and flock to these spaces as they did prior to the pandemic.…”