Physical activity and mental well-being under COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional multination study

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 lockdowns have reduced opportunities for physical activity (PA) and encouraged more sedentary lifestyles. A concomitant of sedentariness is compromised mental health. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations (USA, UK, France, and Australia).

Methods: An online survey was administered in the second quarter of 2020 (N = 2541). We measured planned and unplanned dimensions of PA using the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire and mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Steps per day were recorded only from participants who used an electronic device for this purpose, and sedentary behavior was reported in hours per day (sitting and screen time).

Results: In the USA and Australia samples, there was a significant decline in planned PA from pre- to during lockdown. Among young adults, Australians exhibited the lowest planned PA scores, while in middle-aged groups, the UK recorded the highest. Young adults exhibited the largest reduction in unplanned PA. Across nations, there was a reduction of ~ 2000 steps per day. Large increases in sedentary behavior emerged during lockdown, which were most acute in young adults. Lockdown was associated with a decline in mental health that was more pronounced in women.

Conclusions: The findings illustrate the deleterious effects of lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations. Australian young and lower middle-aged adults appeared to fare particularly badly in terms of planned PA. The reduction in steps per day is equivalent to the non-expenditure of ~ 100 kcal. Declines in mental health show how harmful lockdowns can be for women in particular.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Exercise; International; Mental well-being; Pandemic.

Fig. 1

Stacked dotplot representing the higher-order interaction of lockdown × nation × age group for Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire subscales. M, 95% CIs and density distributions are displayed for planned (a) and unplanned (b) dimensions of physical activity, pre- and during lockdown for each nation and age group. The values plotted are predicated on estimated marginal means. Brackets denote significant differences within the higher-order interaction. p < 0.001

Fig. 2

Raincloud plot representing two-way interactions of lockdown × nation (a) and lockdown × age group (b) for steps per day. M, 95% CIs and density distributions are displayed pre- and during lockdown for each nation (a) and age group (b). The values plotted are predicated on estimated marginal means. Brackets denote significant differences for each two-way interaction. p = 0.009 (a), p < 0.001 (b)

Fig. 3

Raincloud plot representing two-way interactions of lockdown × nation (a) and lockdown × age group (b) for sedentary behavior. M, 95% CIs and density distributions are displayed for sitting and screen time, pre- and during lockdown for each nation (a) and age group (b). The values plotted are predicated on estimated marginal means. Brackets denote significant differences for each two-way interaction. ps < 0.001

Fig. 4

Raincloud plot representing two-way interactions of lockdown × nation (a) and lockdown × sex (b) for General Health Questionnaire-12 scores. M, 95% CIs and density distributions are displayed pre- and during lockdown for each nation (a) and sex (b). The values plotted are predicated on estimated marginal means. Brackets denote significant differences for each two-way interaction. ps < 0.001