Protective effects of physical activity on mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked with increased reports of depression, anxiety, and stress. Stay-at-home directives during the pandemic-imposed lifestyle changes, including eating and sedentary behaviors that can further undermine mental health outcomes. Physical activity is a vital component for metabolic health, as well as for mental health by serving as an active coping strategy to manage stress and promote resilience. Global reports of increased sedentary leisure behaviors have been associated with feelings of depression and anxiety, but it unclear whether the relationship between physical activity and depression or anxiety persists over time. In this longitudinal study, we investigated (i) whether physical activity at the onset of the pandemic was related to feelings of depression or anxiety over time and (ii) whether this relationship was mediated by stress appraisals during the pandemic. We surveyed 319 adults living in Canada or the United States to assess physical activity, stress appraisals, and mental health outcomes at two time points over a 6-month period. We found a reduction in leisure-time physical activity that was linked to subsequent feelings of depression. Furthermore, individuals with lower levels of physical activity were more likely to appraise their COVID-19 situation to be uncontrollable at pandemic onset and as the pandemic continued. Stress appraisals of threat and uncontrollability were also positively related to feelings of depression. Modelling these three factors together showed that appraising a situation as uncontrollable mediated the relationship between initial physical activity and subsequent depressive feelings. Although correlational, these data highlight the protective role of leisure-time physical activity against worsened mental health outcomes during periods of prolonged stress.

Fig 1. Leisure-time physical activity decreased as the pandemic continued.

Differences in mean on-the-job versus leisure-time physical activity scores between Time 1 (May–June 2020) and Time 2 (September–October 2020). Data shown as mean ± SEM; n = 319. One-way repeated measures ANOVA: **, p < 0.01.

Fig 2. Appraisals of stressful situations predicted feelings of depression.

Relationship between threat (light blue), uncontrollable (dark blue), and controllable-by-oneself (orange) appraisals at Time 1 (A) and Time 2 (B) with depression at Time 2. Lines on the plot represent simple linear regressions, and numerals represent bivariate Pearson correlations, r: ***, p < 0.001.

Fig 3. Uncontrollability linked leisure-time physical activity with subsequent feelings of depression.

Model (unstandardized coefficients (se)) of the relationship between leisure-time physical activity at Time 1 and feelings of depression at Time 2 as mediated through appraisals of threat, control-by-self, and uncontrollable at Time 2. Covariates were appraisals of threat, control by self, and uncontrollable at Time 1. Total effect pathway (c), direct effect pathway (c’), indirect effect pathway (a, b). ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.