Stay-at-Home Orders during COVID-19: The Influence on Physical Activity and Recreational Screen Time Change among Diverse Emerging Adults and Future Implications for Health Promotion and the Prevention of Widening Health Disparities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Samantha L. Hahn¹  Vivienne M. Hazzard¹  Dianne Neumark-Sztainer²  Brooke E. Wagner³  Amanda L. Folk³  Daheia J. Barr-Anderson³ 

[1] Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;

关键词: sedentary behavior;    physical activity;    screen time;    pandemic;    longitudinal study;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph182413228

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in physical activity (PA) and recreational screen time (RST) behaviors from pre-COVID-19 in 2018 to Spring 2020 during the mandatory stay-at-home order in an ethnically/racially, socioeconomically diverse sample of emerging adults. Methods: Longitudinal data were analyzed from 218 participants (M_age = 24.6 ± 2.0 years) who completed two surveys: EAT 2018 (Eating and Activity over Time) and C-EAT in 2020 (during COVID-19). Repeated ANCOVAs and multiple linear regression models were conducted. Results: Moderate-to-vigorous and total PA decreased (4.7 ± 0.3 to 3.5 ± 0.3 h/week [p < 0.001] and 7.9 ± 0.4 to 5.8 ± 0.4 h/week [p < 0.001], respectively), and RST increased from 26.5 ± 0.9 to 29.4 ± 0.8 h/week (p = 0.003). Perceived lack of neighborhood safety, ethnic/racial minoritized identities, and low socioeconomic status were significant predictors of lower PA and higher RST during COVID-19. For example, low SES was associated with 4.04 fewer hours of total PA compared to high SES (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Stay-at-home policies may have significantly influenced PA and RST levels in emerging adults with pre-existing disparities exacerbated during this mandatory period of sheltering-in-place. This suggests that the pandemic may have played a role in introducing or magnifying these disparities. Post-pandemic interventions will be needed to reverse trends in PA and RST, with a focus on improving neighborhood safety and meeting the needs of low socioeconomic and ethnic/racial minoritized groups.

【 授权许可】

Unknown