Physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of adults within and during the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand

James A Faulkner; Wendy O'Brien; Beth Stuart; Lee Stoner; John Batten; Daniel Wadsworth; Christopher Askew; Claire Badenhorst; Erin Byrd; Nick Draper; Catherine Elliot; Simon Fryer; Michael J Hamlin; John Jakeman; Kelly A Mackintosh; Melitta A McNarry; Andrew Mitchelmore; Helen Ryan-Stewart; Zoe Saynor; Mia Schaumberg; Emily Spiegelhalter; Keeron Stone; Danielle Lambrick

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031792

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Physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of adults within and during the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of adults within and during the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand

James A Faulkner, Wendy O'Brien, Beth Stuart, Lee Stoner, John Batten, Daniel Wadsworth, Christopher Askew, Claire Badenhorst, Erin Byrd, Nick Draper, …

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol.19(3), pp.1-11

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031792

PMCID: PMC8835233

PMID: 35162815

Appears in COVID-19 Research

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Abstract

Exercise

Coronovirus disease

COVID-19

pandemic

lifestyle behaviour change

depression

lockdown

Physical activity (PA) participation was substantially reduced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between PA, mental health, and wellbeing during and following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ). In this study, 3363 adults completed online surveys within 2–6 weeks of initial COVID-19 restrictions (April/May 2020) and once restrictions to human movement had been eased. Outcome measures included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-9 (mental health) and World Health Organisation-5 Wellbeing Index. There were no differences in PA, mental health or wellbeing between timepoints (p > 0.05). Individuals engaging in moderate or high volume of PA had significantly better mental health (−1.1 and −1.7 units, respectively) and wellbeing (11.4 and 18.6 units, respectively) than individuals who engaged in low PA (p < 0.001). Mental health was better once COVID-19 restrictions were eased (p < 0.001). NZ had better mental health and wellbeing than the UK (p < 0.001). Participation in moderate-to-high volumes of PA was associated with better mental health and wellbeing, both during and following periods of COVID-19 containment, compared to participation in low volumes of PA. Where applicable, during the current or future pandemic(s), moderate-to-high volumes of PA should be encouraged.

Details

Title: Physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of adults within and during the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand
Authors: James A Faulkner (Author) - University of Winchester
Wendy O'Brien (Author) - Massey University
Beth Stuart (Author) - University of Southampton
Lee Stoner (Author) - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
John Batten (Author) - University of Winchester
Daniel Wadsworth (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy
Christopher Askew (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Claire Badenhorst (Author) - Massey University
Erin Byrd (Author) - Oxford Brookes University
Nick Draper (Author) - University of Canterbury
Catherine Elliot (Author) - Lincoln University
Simon Fryer (Author) - University of Gloucestershire
Michael J Hamlin (Author) - Lincoln University
John Jakeman (Author) - Oxford Brookes University
Kelly A Mackintosh (Author) - University of Portsmouth
Melitta A McNarry (Author) - Swansea University
Andrew Mitchelmore (Author) - Oxford Brookes University
Helen Ryan-Stewart (Author) - University of Winchester
Zoe Saynor (Author) - University of Portsmouth
Mia Schaumberg (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Emily Spiegelhalter (Author) - University of Winchester
Keeron Stone (Author) - University of Gloucestershire
Danielle Lambrick (Author) - University of Southampton
Publication details: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol.19(3), pp.1-11
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2022
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031792
ISSN: 1660-4601
PMID: 35162815; PMC8835233
Copyright note: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Biomedicine; School of Health - Nursing; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Cancer Research Cluster; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99607008902621
Output Type: Journal article

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