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Herbolsheimer F, Peters A, Wagner S, Willich SN, Krist L, Pischon T, Nimptsch K, Gastell S, Brandes M, Brandes B, Schikowski T, Schmidt B, Michels KB, Mikolajczyk R, Harth V, Obi N, Castell S, Heise JK, Lieb W, Franzpötter K, Karch A, Teismann H, Völzke H, Meinke-Franze C, Leitzmann M, Stein MJ, Brenner H, Holleczek B, Weber A, Bohn B, Kluttig A, Steindorf K. Changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during the first COVID-19 pandemic- restrictions in Germany: a nationwide survey : Running head: physical activity during the COVID-19 restrictions. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:433. [PMID: 38347566 PMCID: PMC10860251 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17675-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions posed challenges to maintaining healthy lifestyles and physical well-being. During the first mobility restrictions from March to mid-July 2020, the German population was advised to stay home, except for work, exercise, and essential shopping. Our objective was to comprehensively assess the impact of these restrictions on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior to identify the most affected groups. METHODS Between April 30, 2020, and May 12, 2020, we distributed a COVID-19-specific questionnaire to participants of the German National Cohort (NAKO). This questionnaire gathered information about participants' physical activity and sedentary behavior currently compared to the time before the restrictions. We integrated this new data with existing information on anxiety, depressive symptoms, and physical activity. The analyses focused on sociodemographic factors, social relationships, physical health, and working conditions. RESULTS Out of 152,421 respondents, a significant proportion reported altered physical activity and sedentary behavioral patterns due to COVID-19 restrictions. Over a third of the participants initially meeting the WHO's physical activity recommendation could no longer meet the guidelines during the restrictions. Participants reported substantial declines in sports activities (mean change (M) = -0.38; 95% CI: -.390; -.378; range from -2 to + 2) and reduced active transportation (M = -0.12; 95% CI: -.126; -.117). However, they also increased recreational physical activities (M = 0.12; 95% CI: .117; .126) while engaging in more sedentary behavior (M = 0.24; 95% CI: .240; .247) compared to pre-restriction levels. Multivariable linear and log-binomial regression models indicated that younger adults were more affected by the restrictions than older adults. The shift to remote work, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms were the factors most strongly associated with changes in all physical activity domains, including sedentary behavior, and the likelihood to continue following the physical activity guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Mobility patterns shifted towards inactivity or low-intensity activities during the nationwide restrictions in the spring of 2020, potentially leading to considerable and lasting health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Herbolsheimer
- Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Wagner
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Stefan N Willich
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lilian Krist
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Pischon
- Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Nimptsch
- Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Sylvia Gastell
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Mirko Brandes
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Berit Brandes
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tamara Schikowski
- IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Börge Schmidt
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Karin B Michels
- Institute for Prevention and Cancer Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rafael Mikolajczyk
- Institute for Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics, and Informatics, Interdisciplinary Center for Health Sciences , Medical Faculty of the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Volker Harth
- Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine Hamburg (ZfAM), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadia Obi
- Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine Hamburg (ZfAM), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Jana K Heise
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Lieb
- Institute of Epidemiology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - André Karch
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Henning Teismann
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Henry Völzke
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Claudia Meinke-Franze
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | - Hermann Brenner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Alexander Kluttig
- Institute for Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics, and Informatics, Interdisciplinary Center for Health Sciences , Medical Faculty of the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Karen Steindorf
- Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Skare Ø, Mamen A, Skogstad M. The COVID-19 Pandemic Decreases Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study in Industry. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 11:9. [PMID: 38248879 PMCID: PMC10816953 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd11010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to determine if maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max), resting heart rate (RHR), and self-reported leisure- time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) changed over a 3-year follow-up (FU) among industrial workers. METHODS We assessed cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) August 2018 and August 2021. The last 17-18 months coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from 86 participants were collected; demographics by questionnaire and cardiovascular outcomes from medical examination: V˙O2max, RHR, and fat mass (%). Workers reported on their leisure-time MVPA twice. To assess changes in health outcomes we applied a linear mixed model, adjusting for baseline (BL) age, sex, pack-years, shift work, and a 5-month plant shutdown. Further, we adjusted for actual age instead of BL age. RESULTS V˙O2max decreased from 39.6 mL/kg/min at BL to 34.0 at FU, a reduction of 5.6 mL/kg/min (95%CI, -7.6, -3.7). Adjusted for actual age, the corresponding figure for V˙O2max was 5.4 mL/kg/min, (95%CI, -7.4, -3.4), an annual loss of 4.6%. RHR increased from 61.3 to 64.4 beats per minute (95%CI, 0.8, 5.4). Self-reported MVPA decreased by 43.9 min/week, (95%CI, -73.5, -14.4). CONCLUSIONS We observed a decrease in V˙O2max, an increase in RHR and a decrease in self-reported MVPA, suggesting physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Øivind Skare
- National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Box 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway
| | - Asgeir Mamen
- School of health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Box 1190 Sentrum, 0107 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Marit Skogstad
- National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Box 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway
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