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Review
. 2022 Sep 7;19(18):11230.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph191811230.

Physical Activity and Mental Health Declined during the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Literature Review

Christina Amo  1 , Najla Almansour  1 , Idethia S Harvey  2
Affiliations
Review

Physical Activity and Mental Health Declined during the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Literature Review

Christina Amo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

(1) Introduction: Mental health (MH) and physical activity (PA) share a bi-directional relationship, but most studies report MH as the outcome. With diminishing pandemic-related MH, this review examines the impact of diminished MH on PA. (2) Methods: This narrative literature review included 19 empirical studies published since the COVID-19 pandemic. Electronic databases such as MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched for English language articles in peer-reviewed journals using equivalent index terms: "anxiety", "depression", "stress", "mental health", "exercise", "activity", "COVID-19", "coronavirus", and "2019 pandemic". The search reviewed 187 articles with double-rater reliability using Covidence. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. (3) Results: MH themes that impacted PA were depression and/or anxiety (n = 17), one of which identified inadequate coping and excessive pandemic stress (n = 2). In addition, women are more likely to suffer diminished MH and reduced PA throughout the pandemic. (4) Conclusion: Current research suggests that individuals with pre-pandemic MH episodes are correlated with more effective coping skills and fewer adverse effects from COVID-19 than expected. As we emerge from this pandemic, equipping all individuals, especially women, with positive coping strategies may accelerate a seamless return to PA.

Keywords: COVID-19; exercise; mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram detailing the number of databases searched, abstracts and full-texts screened, and included.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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