In our March baseline survey, we asked participants their perceived change in the amount of physical activity since the widespread social restriction soon after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 a pandemic. At the time, 43.78% of the participants reported a decrease in physical activity, 29.84% reported no change, and 26.38% reported an increase in the amount of physical activity, compared to prior to the spread of COVID-19.
Since then, participants were contacted for three follow-up surveys (April, July, and September), in which they were asked to report the amount of time they exercised and/or walked in the past two weeks. Their responses were subsequently computed as minutes per week.
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)
Th average amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) remained relatively similar over time. In April, the average amount of MVPA was 119.47 (SD = 97.27) minutes per week. In July, the average amount of MVPA was 119.29 (SD = 96.38) minutes per week. In September, the average amount of MVPA was 112.84 (SD = 96.88) minutes per week.
However, the change in MVPA over time appears to differ among participants who reported decrease, no change, or increase in the amount of exercise at baseline. For those who reported no change in exercise in March, the average amount of MVPA remained relatively similar from April to September (MApril = 116.13, MJuly = 119.83, and MSeptember = 114.18). For those who reported a decrease in exercise in March, the average amount of MVPA also remained steady over time (MApril = 104.43, MJuly = 109.82, and MSeptember = 104.47). Interestingly, for those who reported an increase in exercise in March, their average amount of MVPA showed a slight decrease from April to September (MApril = 149.6, MJuly = 134.86, and MSeptember = 125.8)
Walking
There is a slight decrease in the average amount of walking over time. In April, the average amount of walking was 163.4 (SD = 139.15) minutes per week. In July, the average amount of walking was 151.47 (SD = 136.45) minutes per week. In September, the average amount of walking was 129.83 (SD = 128.79) minutes per week.
The change in the amount of walking from April to September appears to differ slightly among participants who reported decrease, no change, or increase in the amount of exercise at baseline. For those who reported no change in exercise in March, the average amount of walking remained relatively similar in April and July, but decreased in September (MApril = 155.23, MJuly = 152.16, and MSeptember = 139.35). For those who reported a decrease in exercise in March, the average amount of walking showed slight decrease over time (MApril = 147.11, MJuly = 137.71, and MSeptember = 114.05). Interestingly, for those who reported an increase in exercise in March, their average amount of walking also showed a slight decrease from April to September (MApril = 201.28, MJuly = 173.96, and MSeptember = 145.19)
These preliminary analyses suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social restrictions may be associated with reduced amount of walking in the past few months. It is also worth noting that the change in amount of physical activity over time differs across participants with different perceived change in their amount of exercise in the beginning of the pandemic.