Physical Distancing Measures and Walking Activity in Middle-aged and Older Residents in Changsha, China, During the COVID-19 Epidemic Period: Longitudinal Observational Study

Abstract

Background Physical distancing measures taken to contain COVID-19 transmission may substantially reduce physical activity levels and cause individuals to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. Objective The objective of this study is to determine if there was any change in daily steps, an important component of daily physical activity, and examine risk factors for frequent low daily steps during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods We used data collected from the Step Study, a population-based longitudinal study of walking activity among residents aged ≥40 years in Changsha, China. Daily steps were collected via a smartphone linked to WeChat, a social networking platform. We plotted mean daily steps and the prevalence of low daily steps (≤1500 steps/day) 30 days before (reference period) and 30 days after (epidemic period) January 21, 2020 (date of the first COVID-19 case diagnosed in Changsha), and compared it with the same corresponding period from 2019. We examined the association of risk factors with the prevalence of frequent low daily steps (≤1500 steps/day for ≥14 days) using logistic regression. Results Among 3544 participants (mean age 51.6 years; n=1226 females, 34.6%), mean daily steps dropped from 8097 to 5440 and the prevalence of low daily steps increased from 3% (2287/76,136 person-day) to 18.5% (12,951/70,183 person-day) during the reference and epidemic periods, respectively. No such phenomenon was observed during the corresponding period in 2019. Older age (P for interaction=.001) and female sex (P for interaction<.001) were both associated with a higher prevalence of frequent low daily steps and were more pronounced during the epidemic period. More education was associated with a lower prevalence of frequent low daily steps during the reference period but not the epidemic period (P for interaction=.34). Body mass index or comorbidity were not associated with frequent low daily steps during either period. Conclusions Daily steps of Changsha residents aged ≥40 years dropped significantly during the COVID-19 period, especially among older adults and females. Although successful physical distancing, measured by the rapid downward trend in daily step counts of residents, played a critical role in the containment of the COVID-19 epidemic, our findings of an increase in the prevalence of frequent low daily steps raise concerns about unintended effects on physical activity.

Changes in Workers’ Sedentary and Physical Activity Behaviors in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Relationships With Fatigue: Longitudinal Online Study

“…They also reported less time engaged in leisure-related vigorous physical activity and total physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak. Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies conducted among other population groups echoed similar patterns in how the COVID-19 pandemic unfavorably affected people's active movement behaviors [25][26][27][28][29][30]. For example, a national study conducted in Canada found that children and youth reported higher sedentary behaviors and lower physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak; the study found that less than 5% of children and less than 1% of youth met the combined 24-hour movement behavior goals for physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep [25].…”

Longitudinal changes in physical activity during and after the first national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England

“…This study is the first to examine the heterogeneity in longitudinal changes in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on recent longitudinal studies, which reported a general decline in physical activity at the start of the pandemic, [10][11][12][13][14][15]25 our analyses identified six unique classes of growth trajectories of physical activity. Three of these classes were stable, showing little change over time, including the inactive (11.6%), the fairly active (22.2%) and the highly active (28.6%).…”

“…Being female, younger, single, a parent, and from an ethnic minority group as well as having poor health, lower education and income, and no access to outside space have been associated with lower physical activity during lockdown. 11,12,15,20,21 However, findings have been inconsistent, and many studies have only examined physical activity at one point early in the pandemic. It therefore remains unclear whether similar factors are associated with trajectories of physical activity throughout lockdown and the easing of restrictions.…”

Virtual Group Exercises and Psychological Status among Community-Dwelling Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Feasibility Study

“…Therefore, community-dwelling older people living in urban areas stayed at home and became socially isolated as a result of both pandemic response measures as well as anxiety-induced self-imposed isolation. As a result of the mandatory self-isolation, physical activity appears to decline, affecting subjective well-being [ 8 , 9 ]. A large body of evidence supports the benefit of regular physical activities in reducing health risks [ 10 ].…”