Did COVID-19 Pandemic Change People's Physical Activity Distribution, Eating, and Alcohol Consumption Habits as well as Body Mass Index?

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on bioimpedance health indicators in young adults

OBJECTIVES

Herein, we investigate the relationships between the COVID-19 pandemic and overcoming the virus, and its effects on body composition parameters in young adults from Slovakia.

METHODS

We assessed 773 adults aged 18 to 30 years in pandemic-status sub-groups. Individual lifestyles and overcoming the COVID-19 effects were evaluated by a detailed questionnaire, and body composition parameters were analyzed using the InBody 770 bioimpedance analyzer.

RESULTS

Statistically significant lower values were observed in the male group during the pandemic for the following parameters; proteins and minerals, fat free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), lean body mass (LBM) and its values in the right and left arm and trunk, total body water (TBW) and its values in the right and left arm and trunk, body cell mass (BCM), basal metabolic rate (BMR) and phase angle (PA). The regression analysis confirmed the negative pandemic effect and the negative impact of COVID-19 on men in the following parameters: proteins (p = .027 for pandemic and p = .005 for COVID-19), FFM (p = .023 for pandemic and p = .005 for COVID-19), LBM (p = .022 for pandemic and p = .004 for COVID-19), SMM (p = .028 for pandemic and p = .005 for COVID-19), TBW (p = .020 for pandemic and p = .004 for COVID-19), BMR (p = .024 for pandemic and p = .005 for COVID-19) and PA (p = .009 for pandemic). Physical activity was a further significant predictor in men for all the above parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed significantly lower body composition parameters associated with fat free mass in young adult men during the pandemic than before it. However, future research is warranted to determine if these effects have long-term significance.

Nutritional Behavior in European Countries during COVID-19 Pandemic-A Review

COVID-19 is highly linked with hyperinflammation and dysfunction of the immune cells. Studies have shown that adequate nutrition, a modifiable factor affecting immunity and limiting systemic inflammation, may play an adjunct role in combating the negative consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Due to the global lockdown conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed, among others, to restrictions on fresh food availability and changes in lifestyle and eating behaviors. The aim of this paper was to review the data regarding eating habits in European countries within the general population of adults and some specific subpopulations, including obese, diabetic, and psychiatric patients, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PubMed database and the official websites of medical organizations and associations were searched for the phrases "COVID" and "eating habits". Papers regarding the pediatric population, non-European countries, presenting aggregated data from different countries worldwide, and reviews were excluded. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unhealthy lifestyles and eating behaviors were commonly reported. These included increased snacking, intake of caloric foods, such as sweets, pastries, and beverages, and a decline in physical activity. Data suggest that poor eating habits that create a positive energy balance have persisted over time as an additional post-COVID negative consequence.

The Effect of Physical Exercise during COVID-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted an effect on the general population that went over every expectation. To explore the effect of physical exercise (PE) during the national lockdown in Italy, a survey was drawn up and administered to a sample composed of 208 subjects. The questionnaire comprised 81 multiple-choice items, including sociodemographic data, health-related questions, and assessment of physical exercise, satisfaction with life, depression, and personality. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of physical exercise during the outbreak following the present hypothesis: first, if a link exists between the time spent on physical exercise during the lockdown and the perceived health condition, depressive and somatic symptomatology, and life satisfaction; second, to find associations among the SF-12 component summaries and the other psychological outcomes; and finally, to explore how physical and psychological variables are predictive of PCS-12 and MCS-12. The results showed that both vigorous and moderate physical exercise was strongly correlated with psychological variables, with statistically significant negative correlations found between age and physical exercise. Additionally, significant positive correlations were observed between physical exercise and mental health indices, such as MCS-12 and SWLS, whereas negative correlations were found with BDI, PCS-12, and SOM-H. The correlation analysis also revealed that physical and individual mental health summaries were associated with psychological outcomes, with statistically significant negative correlations found between PCS-12 and MCS, PCS-12 and SOM-H, and MCS-12 and BDI scores. Regression analysis showed that physical activities and psychological status both had a direct influence on perceived mental and physical well-being during the lockdown, accounting for 56.7% and 35.5% of the variance, respectively. The p-values for the significant correlations ranged from <0.05 to <0.01. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of physical exercise and psychological well-being in maintaining good health during the pandemic.

The First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic Strengthened the "Strong" and Weakened the "Weak" Ones

The aim of this study was to explore how the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which contact communication was severely restricted, changed psychological health indicators, such as subjective assessment of health and depression, impulsivity, stress and emotional intelligence (EI) and how that depended on age, gender, physical activity (PA), sports specificity and body mass index (BMI).We surveyed 6369 before and 2392 people during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were aged 18-74 years. Participants completed the Danish Physical Activity Questionnaire (DPAQ), the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSREIT), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), subjective depression and health self-assessments. One-way and two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to assess the effect of independent variables on the dependent variables of MVPA (METs). Statistical analysis showed that restrictions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic did not alter moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), except for a significant decrease in MVPA in women aged 18-25 years, or body mass index in women and men of different ages. An increase in depression and impulsivity was observed, especially an increase in unplanned or spontaneous activity. The restrictions during the first wave increased stress in women of all ages and, rather unexpectedly, improved health self-assessment in men.The study showed that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic affected people's subjective assessment of health, depression, stress and impulsivity in two ways: it "weakened the weak ones" and "strengthened the strong ones".

Local Governments Spending on Promoting Physical Activity during 2015-2020: Financial Data and the Opinion of Residents in Poland

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected local governments involved in sports and recreation in designated areas. The unprecedented scale of the spread of the disease has led to increased research in the area of the disease, considering various correlations. However, little has been written about the impact of the pandemic on local government spending on recreation and sports services in Poland.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the article is to assess the level of local government involvement in the implementation of sports and recreation in Poland compared to other European Union countries, as well as changes in this level in connection with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the opinion of respondents.

METHODOLOGY

In the study, the data regarding expenditures of local government units on recreational and sporting services collected in the Statistical Office of the European Union (EURO-STAT) for 2015-2020 were used. The survey portion was conducted among 1600 respondents who provided answers on a 5-item scale that addressed local government involvement in promoting physical activity among residents during COVID-19.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Local government spending on recreational and sporting services in Poland between 2015 and 2019 increased by about 38%, from EUR 1524.7 million in 2015 to EUR 2103.5 million in 2019. This spending in 2019 was about 40% higher than the average for European Union countries. In contrast, in 2020 it amounted to more than EUR 1886 million and was more than 10% lower compared to the previous year (2019)-the pre-pandemic period. Despite the obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary constraints, cities in Poland took several measures in 2020 to maintain the current pace of development and strived to maintain the status of modern, green, and open, betting on balanced development also in aspects related to sports or culture. It was shown that the opinion of respondents mostly coincided with the existing financial state-in voivodeships where there had been a decrease in spending related to sports and recreation compared to the pre-pandemic period, residents are worse at assessing the activities of local governments related to promoting physical activity.

What Types of Exercise Are Best for Emotional Intelligence and Logical Thinking?

The aim of our study was to determine whether EI and LT vs. intuitive thinking (CRT score) are related to participation in professional sports, independent exercise, and exercise at a gym/health center compared with no exercise. We selected 20 of the most popular types of exercise in Lithuania among respondents who exercise independently or at a gym/health center, and we ranked these types of exercise according to the participants' emotional intelligence and logical thinking. We studied 4545 women and 1824 men aged 18-74 years with a focus on whether emotional intelligence and logical thinking are related to type of exercise. Participation in any exercise was significantly related to emotional intelligence in men and women. Women in professional sports solved the lowest number of logic tasks. Women who exercise independently or at a gym/health center had better logical thinking than those who do not exercise. Among men, logical thinking was not associated with the type of exercise. We found the tendency for a negative correlation between EI and LT in the 20 most popular types of exercise. Emotional intelligence correlated positively with participation in MVPA. The highest emotional intelligence was in women who participate in dance or Pilates and in men who participate in martial arts, wrestling, boxing, or yoga. Logical thinking was the highest in men who participate in triathlon and in women who perform CrossFit. Men who practice martial arts or track and field and women who participate in cycling were in the top five for emotional intelligence and logical thinking.

Do Physical Activity, BMI, and Wellbeing Affect Logical Thinking?

We studied 6368 people (4544 women and 1824 men; aged 18–74 years). The research goal was to determine whether the Cognitive Reflection Test score (logical thinking compared with intuitive thinking) depends—and in what way it depends—on the healthy lifestyle components and emotional health-related components as well as age (18–74 years) and gender. We established that analytical vs. intuitive thinking depended on components of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, sleep, eating habits, smoking and alcohol consumption, specificity of sporting activity, body mass index, and emotional health-related components (stress, depression, impulsivity, subjective health, emotional intelligence), as well as age and gender. We found that logical thinking was not associated with sleep, moderate-to-vigorous PA, impulsivity, subjective health, and components of a healthy lifestyle. However, logical thinking decreases with age, gender (higher in men than in women), BMI (decreases in both genders over the second degree of obesity), depression (the more severe depression in women, the worse their logical thinking), sedentary behavior (people who sat for longer periods had more difficulty solving problems), and in professional sportswomen (logical thinking is worse in professional sportswomen than in sedentary women, amateur sportswomen, or women who use gyms). Finally, we determined inverse correlations between logical thinking, emotional intelligence, and stress.