Natalie Wood Byrne, PharmD; Daniel J. Parente, MD, PhD; Nicole T. Yedlinsky, MD, CAQSM, FAAFP
Corresponding Author: Nicole T. Yedlinsky, MD, CAQSM, FAAFP; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health - University of Kansas Medical Center.
Email: nyedlinsky@kumc.edu
Section: Original Research
Publication Date: 3/22/2022
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic greatly altered the lives of United States adults. We explored how exercise habits were impacted.
HYPOTHESIS: Participants will increase leisure time physical activity by at least 30 minutes per week after the onset of the pandemic.
STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective, cross-sectional study.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2.
METHODS: A one-time anonymous survey modeled from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was distributed to patients attending ambulatory appointments in the Family Medicine clinic at the University of Kansas Hospital. We analyzed change in exercise min/week, setting of physical activity, acquisition of home exercise equipment, and weight change.
RESULTS: 500 adult patient’s surveys were collected. 382 were included after complete case analysis. Results were stratified by both demographics and pre- and post-pandemic employment status. The median change in weekly exercise duration was 0.0 minutes/week, but the mean change was -25.7 minutes/week. Across all participants, total duration of exercise was decreased after the onset of the pandemic (paired Wilcox signed rank test p < 0.001). Individuals reported decreased participation in sports, on-site group classes, weightlifting, running and swimming. A greater proportion of individuals reported participation in virtual group classes (6.3% prior to the pandemic vs. 13.1% during the pandemic; McNemar’s p < 0.001). Individuals who already had home exercise equipment prior to the pandemic were more likely to acquire more equipment than those who had none to begin with (Chi-squared p = 0.005). Overall there is a significant trend in the direction of weight gain (Wilcox signed rank test p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Participants overall decreased physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings of this study increase our understanding of how exercise habits change during an unprecedented stressful event such as the COVID-19 pandemic.