Effect of the COVID-19 lockdown period on the physical condition, living habits, and physical activity of citizens in Beijing, China.
Yuetong Zhu, Zimin Wang, Hitoshi Maruyama and 4 others
PMID 34539065WHAT IT FOUND
During three months of Beijing home isolation, 1,029 adults reported less daily exercise, fewer steps, more sitting, and women reported higher weight and BMI; reported daily physical activity time increased.
Key findings
01After home isolation, all participants reported less daily exercise time and fewer steps, plus more sitting time and more daily physical activity time.
02Female respondents reported less daily exercise time, fewer steps, higher weight, higher BMI, and more sitting time after home isolation.
03Weekly exercise frequency did not change significantly among all participants, male respondents, or female respondents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used a self-report web questionnaire, not objective measures of activity, weight, or BMI. There was no control group or comparison population, so changes cannot be confidently attributed to the lockdown. Follow-up was only 3 months, and the authors note longer-term effects were not examined. People with major motor, bone and joint, neurological disorders, or inability to perform normal daily activities or sports were excluded, so findings may not apply to more disabled patients. Only adults aged 18-76 were included, and no participants under 18 were studied. Of 1,342 retrieved questionnaires, 313 were discarded because responses were incomplete or not fully understood.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest and report no sponsor involvement that could have influenced the outcome of the work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that home isolation caused these changes or that a home exercise programme will reverse them; this was a self-report survey with no control group, no objective activity measures, and only 3 months of follow-up.