Lifestyle and mental health 1 year into COVID-19

Abstract

In previous work, Giuntella et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci 118:e2016632118, 2021), we documented large disruptions to physical activity, sleep, time use and mental health among young adults at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020. This study explores the trends 1 year into COVID-19, as vaccines began to roll out, COVID-19 deaths declined, and social distancing measures eased in the United States. We combine biometric and survey data from multiple cohorts of college students spanning Spring 2019 through Spring 2021 (N = 1179). Our results show persistent impacts of the pandemic on physical activity and mental health. One year into the pandemic, daily steps averaged about 6300 per day compared to about 9800 per day prior to the pandemic, a 35% decline. Almost half of participants were at risk of clinical depression compared to a little over one-third prior to the pandemic, a 36% increase. The impacts on screen time, social interactions and sleep duration at the onset of COVID-19 largely dissipated over the course of the pandemic, though screen time remained significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. In contrast to the sharp changes in lifestyle and mental health documented as the pandemic emerged in March 2020, we do not find evidence of behavioral changes or improvements in mental well-being over the course of Spring 2021 as the pandemic eased.

A longitudinal study of student nurse anxiety and distress during transitions in learning due to the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Overall, participants self‐reported symptoms, sources, and effects of anxiety and distress decreased from 2020 to 2022. Barbieri et al 8 investigated physical activity and mental health of college students at the University of Pittsburg between the spring of 2020 and 2021. The spring 2021 survey was distributed after returning to in‐person classes.…”

Cardiorespiratory fitness and depression symptoms among adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cooper Center Longitudinal Study

“…We expanded the baseline (pre-pandemic) period to have a greater chance of retroactively finding a baseline visit for participants who came to the clinic for a preventive medical exam during the pandemic. The pandemic period began with its onset (March 2020) through the end of December (2020); this coincided with the rise of cases during the second wave in the United States and prior to vaccines becoming more widespread and the easing of social distancing measures in 2021 ( Barbieri et al, 2021 , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022b ). Additional inclusion criteria consisted of age (20-70 years), not pregnant, and having complete information on the primary variables (fitness and depression score) and pertinent individual covariates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, current smoking, alcohol intake, BMI), as well as US state and county of residence for local COVID-19 case rates and mask requirements.…”

Cardiorespiratory fitness as a vital sign of CVD risk in the COVID-19 era

“…Thus, it is unfortunate that a consequence of the lockdown and restrictions enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic was reduced PA, which has been well documented to impact physical and mental well-being. 20 Ammar et al 21 reported a decline in all PA intensity levels (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall) and Barbieri et al 22 reported a decline from an average of ~10,000 steps/day taken pre-pandemic to ~4600 steps/day during the first couple months of the pandemic. Further, daily sitting time has increased from 5 to 8 h/day, 21 with the added time spent performing predominately screen-based sedentary behaviors, which are correlated with CVD risk factors.…”