Determining the Physical Activity Level of Healthy Adults During Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Objective: With coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, online education, remote and flexible working was introduced. Thus the process of stay-at-home has begun. The aim of the study was to determine level of physical activity of healthy adults in the pandemic process. Material and Methods: This is a descriptive survey study which was applied via internet. The physical activity level was evaluated with International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Healthy adults aged 18-65 years who live in Turkey were included in the study. Results: Total 205 responses were evaluated. The mean age of the participants was 27.35±7.30 years. The number of the participants working in the workplace was 42 (20.5%). The level of physical activity was as follows: 39 (19.0%) participants performed vigorous, 87 (57.6%) participants performed moderate physical activity. The number of participants who walked was 163 (79.5%). The participants who continued to work in workplaces were more active than those stay-at-home (p=0.048). Conclusion: The stay-at-home during pandemic process reduce the risk of spread but also increase the risk of chronic disease can be caused by sedentary behaviours. Therefore the society must be informed about the importance of simple exercises that can be done at home without any equipment and should be motivated to exercise by using the media's power.