Changes in Body Weight, Physical Activity, and Lifestyle During the Semi-lockdown Period After the Outbreak of COVID-19 in China: An Online Survey

Abstract

Objectives: The outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) provided an opportunity to undertake an online survey to study the relationships between body weight changes with changes in physical activity and lifestyle during an unusual event of forced isolation, or quarantine.

Methods: We distributed an electronic questionnaire using the popular social application WeChat to adults from any province of China except Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. The questionnaire asked for demographic information, body weight, physical activity, and lifestyle factors before and during the quarantine.

Results: Of 376 questionnaires returned, 339 were valid (90.2%). During the period of semi-lockdown, both females and males with BMI <24 gained weight, males with BMI ≥24 lost weight, and females with BMI ≥24 gained weight. The average steps per day and the average moderate or vigorous-intensity exercise declined significantly for both males and females during the semi-lockdown. Changes in body weight inversely correlated with changes in steps per day and moderate or vigorous-intensity exercise during the quarantine.

Conclusions: Normal weight individuals, who are not normally troubled by overweight or obesity, had less awareness of weight gain than people with a BMI ≥ 24. Under the conditions of the semi-lockdown, they tended to gain weight.

Keywords: body weight; coronavirus; lifestyle; lockdown; physical activity.

FIGURE 1

Change in Body Weight by BMI Category for Males and Females During the Period of Semi-lockdown (Median, Interquartile Range, Mean).

FIGURE 2

(a) Average steps per day before and during the period of semi-lockdown by gender (statistical comparison by paired t test). (b) Average moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise (minutes per day) before and during the period of semi-lockdown by gender.

FIGURE 3

(a) Change in average steps per day by BMI category for males and females from before January 27 to during first 5 wk after January 27. (b) Change in moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise (minutes per day) by BMI category for males and females from before January 27 to during first 5 wk after January 27 (median, interquartile range, mean).

FIGURE 4

(a) Change in average steps per day by gender by change in body weight. (b) Change in average moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise per day by gender by change in body weight.