Associations between individual and environmental determinants and physical activity levels of an active population during the Spanish lockdown

• Published in: Preventive medicine Vol. 153; p. 106719
• Main Authors: Gonzalo-Encabo, Paola, Cereijo, Luis, Remón, Ángel Luis Clemente, Jiménez-Beatty, José Emilio, Díaz-Benito, Víctor Jiménez, Santacruz Lozano, José Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2021; The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Communicable Disease Control; COVID-19; Equality; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Pandemic; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Social determinants; COVID-19; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; Exercise; Equality; Social determinants
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106719

Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to decrease physical activity (PA) levels. The purpose of the study was to explore the associations between age, gender, and exercise facilities-type membership and physical activity levels during COVID-19 lockdown among users of exercise facilities from Spain. Participants were recruited among the members of 84 exercise facilities across Spain. Data was collected through an online questionnaire between 5th and 20th of April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. A total of 7062 participants met inclusion criteria and responded correctly to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Lower levels of total PA were found in women compared with men (β = −26, 95%CI: −40 to −13), and among older adults (β = −48, 95%CI: −10 to −85) compared with younger ones. Moreover, users of private facilities showed higher levels of PA (β = 40, 95%CI: 13 to 66) than those from low-cost and public facilities (reference). Lastly, women from private facilities showed greater levels of PA (β = 63, 95%CI: 29 to 96) than low cost and public's users, an increase higher than what was found in men (β = 7, 95%CI: −38 to 52). Therefore, gender, age and the type of exercise facility's subscription had a relevant influence on PA levels during COVID-19 lockdown in an active population. These findings are useful for public health recommendations, in order to identify subpopulations of previously active people at risk of being physically inactive during and after this pandemic.
•Men showed higher overall physical activity than women during the lockdown.•Whereas physical activity levels decreased with age, older adults showed higher levels of moderate physical activity.•Users of public exercise facilities showed lower physical activity levels than those from low-cost and private facilities.•Public health strategies are needed to address physical inactivity during future restrictions from an equity perspective.