Excessive information, uncertainties regarding the future and one’s health, frustration due to interruption of projects, boredom, reduction of family income, as well as a political and economic crisis, can generate or exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety levels. In addition, physical distancing/isolation measures and the continuous spread of the pandemic are also expected to influence the mental health of the population. Therefore, if the population’s physical activity levels further decrease during this physical distancing period, it will be an even greater challenge for public health agencies, as this condition may further complicate the pandemic scenario since the presence of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and other comorbidities associated with physical inactivity can worsen the COVID-19 prognosis. This scenario is extremely worrying because physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and premature mortality in the world.
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Physical inactivity has been considered a global pandemic since 2012, and it is estimated that 28% of the world population (1.4 billion people) remain physically inactive. As a consequence, these measurements of social distancing also may negatively impact the daily physical activity of the population. All these measures were taken in order to implement physical distancing among people to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, which has been considered a fundamental method to contain the virus spread.
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In the second half of March, schools and parks were closed and, commercial activities and non-essential services were suspended. In the following month (March 2020), several measures to control and contain the virus spread were taken by government institutions and health authorities in Brazil. The first recorded case in Latin America was in São Paulo, Brazil, on Febru. Īfter the initial outbreak, which occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus rapidly spread across China and reached Europe and both Americas and finally across the world. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) raised several questions about public health, economic, and political crisis. Therefore, physical activity programs should be encouraged, while respecting the necessary social distancing to prevent the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Those who reduced their level of physical activity had the highest levels of mood disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on physical activity. A higher percentage of men who had no mood disorders was observed among those who were very active than among those less active. A greater presence of symptoms related to anxiety and depression were associated with low physical activity levels, low family monthly income, and younger age. Thirty percent of the participants presented symptoms of moderate/severe depression and 23.3% displayed moderate/severe anxiety symptoms. The physical activity level adopted during the period of social distancing (2.9 ± 1.1) was lower than that adopted prior to the pandemic period (3.5 ± 0.8, p < 0.001).
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MethodsĪ self-administered questionnaire with personal, quarantine, physical activity, and mood state disorders information’s was answered by 2140 Brazilians of both sex who were recruited through online advertising. The aim of the present study was to study the impact of social distancing on physical activity level, and the association between mood state (depression and anxiety level) or sex with actual physical activity levels, the change in physical activity caused by social distancing period, the adhesion level to social distancing, the adoption time of social distancing, family income and age. It has also negatively influenced people’s general health and quality of life. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a strong negative impact on economic and social life worldwide.