Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan 14;18(2):671.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020671.

Self-Perceived Changes in Physical Activity and the Relation to Life Satisfaction and Rated Physical Capacity in Swedish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Cross Sectional Study

Frida Eek  1 , Caroline Larsson  1 , Anita Wisén  1 , Eva Ekvall Hansson  1
Affiliations

Self-Perceived Changes in Physical Activity and the Relation to Life Satisfaction and Rated Physical Capacity in Swedish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Cross Sectional Study

Frida Eek et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

COVID-19 restrictions may prevent people from reaching recommended levels of physical activity (PA). This study examines self-perceived changes in the extent and intensity of PA during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the relation between perceived changes in PA and general life satisfaction and perceived physical capacity. A total of 1318 participants (mean age 47.8 SD12.6; 82.1% women) were recruited through social media in Sweden during autumn 2020. The survey included questions regarding perceived changes in PA compared to the previous year, the "Rating of Perceived Capacity" scale and "Life Satisfaction Questionnaire-11". A change in PA was reported by 65% of participants. More participants reported an increase (36%) than a decrease (29%), however a decrease in PA was significantly more often considered to be due to the pandemic. The highest odds of decreased PA was found in the oldest age group (70+ years) (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.4-5.7). Those who reported decreased levels of PA reported lower life satisfaction and aerobic capacity than the other groups (p > 0.001). Decreased physical activity was reported by many, but an equal share reported increased activity during the pandemic. The highest odds for decreased activity was found in the oldest group-the group that has been subjected to the strictest recommended COVID-19 restrictions in Sweden.

Keywords: coronavirus pandemic; health; life satisfaction; physical activity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Life satisfaction (LISAT) score in groups reporting decrease, no change, or increase in activity level (intensity and extent); *** p < 0.001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Rated physical capacity (RPC) in groups reporting decrease, no change, or increase in activity level (intensity and extent); *** p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Public Health Agency of Sweden. [(accessed on 2 December 2020)]; Available online: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/utbrott/aktuell...
    1. Swedish Government. [(accessed on 1 February 2020)]; Available online: https://www.government.se/government-policy/the-governments-work-in-resp...
    1. Chen P., Mao L., Nassis G.P., Harmer P., Ainsworth B.E., Li F. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): The need to maintain regular physical activity while taking precautions. J. Sport. Health Sci. 2020;9:103–104. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2020.02.001. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dwyer M.J., Pasini M., De Dominicis S., Righi E. Physical activity: Benefits and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports. 2020;30:1291–1294. doi: 10.1111/sms.13710. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ammar A., Brach M., Trabelsi K., Chtourou H., Boukhris O., Masmoudi L., Bouaziz B., Bentlage E., How D., Ahmed M., et al. Effects of COVID-19 home confinement on eating behaviour and physical activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 international online survey. Nutrients. 2020;12:1583. doi: 10.3390/nu12061583. - DOI - PMC - PubMed