The COVID-19 pandemic altered many facets of life. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19-related public health guidelines on physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, mental health, and their interrelations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 3052 US adults 3–8 April 2020 (from all 50 states). Participants self-reported pre- and post-COVID-19 levels of moderate and vigorous PA, sitting, and screen time. Currently-followed public health guidelines, stress, loneliness, positive mental health (PMH), social connectedness, and depressive and anxiety symptoms were self-reported. Participants were grouped by meeting US PA guidelines, reporting ≥8 h/day of sitting, or ≥8 h/day of screen time, pre- and post-COVID-19. Overall, 62% of participants were female, with age ranging from 18–24 (16.6% of sample) to 75+ (9.3%). Self-reported PA was lower post-COVID among participants reporting being previously active (mean change: −32.3% [95% CI: −36.3%, −28.1%]) but largely unchanged among previously inactive participants (+2.3% [−3.5%, +8.1%]). No longer meeting PA guidelines and increased screen time were associated with worse depression, loneliness, stress, and PMH (p < 0.001). Self-isolation/quarantine was associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to social distancing (p < 0.001). Maintaining and enhancing physical activity participation and limiting screen time increases during abrupt societal changes may mitigate the mental health consequences.

Objectives: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, major changes to how, or even whether, we work have occurred. This study examines associations of changing COVID-19-related employment conditions with physical activity and sedentary behavior. Methods: Data from 2,303 US adults in employment prior to COVID-19 were collected April 3rd−7th, 2020. Participants reported whether their employment remained unchanged, they were working from home (WFH) when they had not been before, or they lost their job due to the pandemic. Validated questionnaires assessed physical activity, sitting time, and screen time. Linear regression quantified associations of COVID-19-related employment changes with physical activity, sitting time, and screen time, controlling for age, sex, race, BMI, smoking status, marital status, chronic conditions, household location, public health restrictions, and recalled physical activity, sitting time, and screen time prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Compared to those whose employment remained unchanged, participants whose employment changed (either WFH or lost their job) due to COVID-19 reported higher sitting time (WFH: g = 0.153, 95% CI = 0.095-0.210; lost job: g = 0.212, 0.113-0.311) and screen time (WFH: g = 0.158, 0.104-0.212; lost job: g = 0.193, 0.102-0.285). There were no significant group differences for physical activity (WFH: g = −0.030, −0.101 to 0.042; lost job: g=-0.070, −0.178 to 0.037). Conclusion: COVID-19 related employment changes were associated with greater sitting and screen time. As sedentary time is consistently negatively associated with current and future health and wellbeing, increased sedentary time due to employment changes is a public health concern.

Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated global response have significantly altered people's behaviour, likely decreasing physical activity, increasing sitting and screen time, while simultaneously worsening mental health. The objective of this project was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19-related public health restrictions on physical activity, sedentary time, mental health, and their interrelations. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 3,052 US adults between April 3 rd-7 th , 2020. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from mass emails to faculty, staff, students, and alumni of Iowa State University and additional snowball sampling resulting in responses from all 50 states and the District of Colombia. Moderate and vigorous physical activity, sitting, and screen time, both pre-and post-COVID-19-related restrictions, along with currently-followed public health restrictions were self-reported. Current mental health was reported including stress (Perceived Stress Scale-4), loneliness (3-item Loneliness), positive mental health (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale), social connectedness (Lubben Social Network Scale), and depressive and anxiety symptoms (Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories). Participants were grouped by meeting US physical activity guidelines (active/inactive), reporting ≥8 hrs/day of sitting, or ≥8 hrs/day of screen time, pre-and post-COVID-19-related restrictions. Results: Of the 3,052 participants (62% female), age ranged from 18-24 (16.6% of sample) to 75+ (9.3%). Weekly physical activity was reduced after COVID-19-related restrictions among previously active participants (mean change:-32.3% [95% CI:-36.3%,-28.1%]) but largely unchanged among previously inactive participants (+2.3% [-3.5%, +8.1%]). Large increases in

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered much of US life with shifts to working-from-home and social distancing changing day-to-day behavior. We aimed to determine the self-reported prevalence of meeting US physical activity guidelines, stratified by sitting time during the early lockdown phase of COVID-19 in US adults. We conducted two cross-sectional internet-based studies April 3 rd -May 4 th , 2020 in convenience samples of US adults. Participants self-reported daily sitting time and weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) via questions from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. A total of 5,036 US adults (65.3% women, 30.2% with chronic conditions) provided complete physical activity and sitting time data (80.3% of total). Overall, 42.6% of participants reported sitting for >8h/day (95% CI: 41.2%-44.0%) and 72.5% (71.2%-73.7%) reported being either sufficiently (150-300 MVPA minutes) or highly active (>300 minutes). The greatest proportion of people self-reported being highly active and sitting for >8h/day (24.0%; 22.8%-25.2%), followed by being highly active and sitting for 6-8h/day (20.9%; 19.8%-22.1%). Sitting and activity appeared similar between sexes, while there was evidence of some age differences. For example, more young adults (ages 18-34) appeared to self-report being inactive and more appeared to sit for >8h/day compared to older adults. High sitting time was reported by US adults (>40% sitting >8h/day) during April 2020. However, high levels of physical activity (>70% meeting guidelines) were also reported. Since physical activity cannot eliminate the negative health effects of sitting, maintaining activity and limiting sitting during periods of large workplace and societal shifts is encouraged.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated pandemic has resulted in systemic changes to much of life, affecting both physical and mental health. Time spent outside is associated with positive mental health; however, opportunities to be outside were likely affected by the COVID-19 public health restrictions that encouraged people not to leave their homes unless it was required. This study investigated the impact of acute COVID-19 public health restrictions on outside time in April 2020, and quantified the association between outside time and both stress and positive mental health, using secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the COVID and Well-being Study. Participants (n = 3,291) reported demographics, health behaviors, amount of time they spent outside pre/post COVID-19 public health restrictions (categorized as increased, maintained, or decreased), current stress (Perceived Stress Scale-4), and positive mental health (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale). Outside time was lower following COVID-19 restrictions (p &lt; 0.001; Cohen's d = −0.19). Participants who increased or maintained outside time following COVID-19 restrictions reported lower stress (p &lt; 0.001, 5.93 [5.74–6.12], Hedges' g = −0.18; p &lt; 0.001, mean = 5.85 [5.67–6.02], Hedges' g = −0.21; respectively) and higher positive mental health (p &lt; 0.001, 24.49 [24.20–24.77], Hedges' g = 0.21; p &lt; 0.001, 24.78 [24.52–25.03], Hedges' g = 0.28) compared to those who decreased outside time. These findings indicate that there are likely to be negative stress and mental health implications if strategies are not implemented to encourage and maintain safe time outside during large-scale workplace and societal changes (e.g., during a pandemic).

Objectives: To examine associations of changing employment conditions, specifically switching to working from home (WFH) or job loss, with mental health, using data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Data from 2,301 US adults in employment prior to COVID-19 were collected April 3rd−7th, 2020. Participants reported whether their employment remained unchanged, they were WFH when they had not been before, or they had lost their job due to the pandemic. Outcomes were symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and positive mental health (PMH) assessed using validated questionnaires. Linear regression quantified associations of employment changes with mental health outcomes, controlling for age, sex, race, BMI, smoking status, screen time, physical activity, marital status, chronic conditions, and current COVID-19 containment strategies being followed.Results: Compared to participants whose employment remained unchanged, those who switched to WFH did not differ in any measures of mental health (all p ≥ 0.200). Participants who had lost their job reported higher symptoms of depression (g = −0.200, 95%CI = −0.333 to −0.067; p = 0.003), anxiety (g = −0.212, −0.363 to −0.061; p = 0.008), and stress (g = −0.348, −0.482 to −0.214; p &lt; 0.001), and lower PMH (g = −0.212, −0.347 to −0.078; p = 0.002). Loneliness did not differ between groups (p = 0.087).Conclusion: This study demonstrates (1) that concerns around potential adverse mental health effects, particularly increases in loneliness, should not preclude WFH in the general population, while considering each individual's personal circumstances, and (2) the acute adverse association of job loss with mental health. Tailored and sensitive interventions may be required to prevent deteriorations in mental health associated with job loss during periods of societal stress.

Background While widely used and endorsed, there is limited evidence supporting the benefits of activity trackers for increasing physical activity; these devices may be more effective when combined with additional strategies that promote sustained behavior change like motivational interviewing (MI) and habit development. Objective This study aims to determine the utility of wearable activity trackers alone or in combination with these behavior change strategies for promoting improvements in active and sedentary behaviors. Methods A sample of 91 adults (48/91 female, 53%) was randomized to receive a Fitbit Charge alone or in combination with MI and habit education for 12 weeks. Active and sedentary behaviors were assessed pre and post using research-grade activity monitors (ActiGraph and activPAL), and the development of habits surrounding the use of the trackers was assessed postintervention with the Self-Reported Habit Index. During the intervention, Fitbit wear time and activity levels were monitored with the activity trackers. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the influence of the trial on outcomes of physical activity and sedentary time. The influence of habits was examined using correlation coefficients relating habits of tracker use (wearing the tracker and checking data on the tracker and associated app) to Fitbit wear time and activity levels during the intervention and at follow-up. Results Regression analyses revealed no significant differences by group in any of the primary outcomes (all P >.05). However, personal characteristics, including lower baseline activity levels (beta=–.49, P =.01) and lack of previous experience with pedometers (beta=–.23, P =.03) were predictive of greater improvements in moderate and vigorous physical activity. Furthermore, for individuals with higher activity levels at the baseline, MI and habit education were more effective for maintaining these activity levels when compared with receiving a Fitbit alone (eg, small increase of ~48 steps/day, d =0.01, vs large decrease of ~1830 steps/day, d =0.95). Finally, habit development was significantly related to steps/day during ( r =.30, P =.004) and following the intervention ( r =.27, P =.03). Conclusions This study suggests that activity trackers may have beneficial effects on physical activity in healthy adults, but benefits vary based on individual factors. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of habit development surrounding the wear and use of activity trackers and the associated software to promote increases in physical activity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03837366; https://clinicaltr...

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