Physical Activity Changes during the Spring 2020 COVID-19 Shutdown in the United States

Changes in Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adults After the COVID-19 Pandemic by State and Territorial Stay-at-Home Order Level and Sociodemographic Characteristics

PURPOSE

To examine changes in obesity prevalence among US adults after the COVID-19 pandemic by level of stay-at-home order and sociodemographic characteristics.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental study using repeated cross-sectional data.

SETTING

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

SAMPLE

Pooled data for US adults ages ≥26 years (n = 1,107,673) from BRFSS (2018-2021).

MEASURES

States/territories were classified into three levels of stay-at-home order: none, advisory/only for persons at risk, or mandatory for all. Individual-level sociodemographic characteristics were self-reported.

ANALYSIS

The difference-in-differences method was conducted with weighted multiple logistic regression analysis to examine obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) prevalence by stay-at-home order level and sociodemographic characteristics before/after the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2018-February 2020 vs March 2020-February 2022).

RESULTS

After adjusting for a secular trend and multiple covariates, adults in states/territories with mandatory stay-at-home orders experienced a larger increase in obesity prevalence (adjusted odds ratio: 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.11) than adults in states/territories with no stay-at-home order. Younger adults (vs ≥65 years) and individuals with

CONCLUSION

Increases in obesity prevalence were perpetuated 2 years after implementation of stay-at-home orders, indicating that longer-term health implications are co-occurring during the pandemic recovery period. Future research should focus on successful methods for staying active and healthy during social distancing and beyond.

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Key Words

• COVID-19
• age
• education
• health policy
• obesity
• sociodemographic characteristic
• stay-at-home order

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• COVID-19/epidemiology
• Obesity/epidemiology
• Male
• United States/epidemiology
• Female
• Prevalence
• Adult
• Middle Aged
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
• Sociodemographic Factors
• Aged
• SARS-CoV-2
• Socioeconomic Factors
• Pandemics
• Young Adult

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Affiliation(s)

Beomyoung Cho Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Yining Pan Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
McKinley Chapman Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Aaron Spaulding Division of Health Care Delivery Research, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Sericea Stallings-Smith Department of Public Health, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA

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Physical Activity Among Adults in Rural Western North Carolina During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, measures implemented to protect community health may have influenced how and where people engaged in physical activity. In rural communities, access to resources, the environment, and socioeconomic status could play a role in how adults are physically active. Our study examined locations where rural residents of a county in western North Carolina engaged in physical activity early in the COVID-19 pandemic, their reasons for being physically active, and their perceptions of benefits and barriers related to engaging in physical activity.

METHODS

Rural adults (N =297) completed an online survey from August 3 through September 15, 2020, describing their physical activity during the summer of 2020. Data were analyzed using nonparametric measures.

RESULTS

Survey respondents frequently engaged in physical activity in the home (57.8%), at parks or on trails (45.3%), and around their neighborhood (39.4%). The most common types of physical activities at parks or on trails were walking and hiking (99.5%). Across all locations, the most frequently reported reasons for engaging in physical activity were getting out of the house, maintaining fitness and mental health, and exercising.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed many locations where rural residents were physically active and their reasons for participating in physical activity during the pandemic. Data about perceived benefits of and barriers to physical activity during the pandemic can assist in meeting the current need to increase physical activity levels in rural communities.