The association between physical activity and mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

BMC Public Health

Adilson Marques¹  Miguel Peralta²  André O. Werneck³  Andreas Ihle⁴  Priscila Marconcin⁵  Gerson Ferrari⁶  Élvio R. Gouveia⁷  Hugo Sarmento⁸ 

[1] CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal;Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, São Paulo, Brazil;CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal;ISAMB, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal;Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, São Paulo, Brazil;Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES – Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland;Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland;KinesioLab, Research Unit in Human Movement Analysis, Insituto Piaget, Almada, Portugal;CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal;Laboratorio de Rendimiento Humano, Grupo de Estudio en Educación, Actividad Física y Salud (GEEAFyS), Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile;Universidade da Madeira, Funchal, Portugal;Interactive Technologies Institute, LARSyS, Funchal, Portugal;University of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF). Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Coimbra, Portugal;

关键词: Pandemic;    SARS CoV-2;    Exercise;    Mental health;    Anxiety;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-022-12590-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionThe Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic affected countries worldwide and has changed peoples’ lives. A reduction in physical activity and increased mental health problems were observed, mainly in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this systematic review aims to examine the association between physical activity and mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn July 2021, a search was applied to PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria included cross-sectional, prospective, and longitudinal study designs and studies published in English; outcomes included physical activity and mental health (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety, positive and negative effects, well-being).ResultsThirty-one studies were included in this review. Overall, the studies suggested that higher physical activity is associated with higher well-being, quality of life as well as lower depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress, independently of age. There was no consensus for the optimal physical activity level for mitigating negative mental symptoms, neither for the frequency nor for the type of physical activity. Women were more vulnerable to mental health changes and men were more susceptive to physical activity changes.ConclusionPhysical activity has been a good and effective choice to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health policies should alert for possibilities to increase physical activity during the stay-at-home order in many countries worldwide.

【 授权许可】

CC BY