Changes in Consumer Wellness During the Early Weeks of the Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Heejae Lee ◽  
Sheri Worthy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Lifestyle Choices ◽  
And Behaviors

COVID-19 has affected consumers' wellness-related behavior and lifestyle choices. Online survey respondents were asked about changes in their health and wellness perceptions and behaviors—overall wellbeing, diet, physical activity, and sleep—due to the pandemic. Age was related to changes in all four wellness areas, with older respondents experiencing less change than did younger respondents. Race was related to changes in overall well-being, diet, and sleep. Whites and Asians reported less change than did Blacks or Hispanics. Change in sleep was associated with age, race, marital status, and BMI. Educating consumers on healthy behaviors is more important than ever during COVID-19.

scholarly journals Physical activity and mental well-being under COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional multination study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Costas I. Karageorghis ◽  
Jonathan M. Bird ◽  
Jasmin C. Hutchinson ◽  
Mark Hamer ◽  
Yvonne N. Delevoye-Turrell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Steps Per Day ◽  
Western Nations

Abstract Background COVID-19 lockdowns have reduced opportunities for physical activity (PA) and encouraged more sedentary lifestyles. A concomitant of sedentariness is compromised mental health. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations (USA, UK, France, and Australia). Methods An online survey was administered in the second quarter of 2020 (N = 2541). We measured planned and unplanned dimensions of PA using the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire and mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Steps per day were recorded only from participants who used an electronic device for this purpose, and sedentary behavior was reported in hours per day (sitting and screen time). Results In the USA and Australia samples, there was a significant decline in planned PA from pre- to during lockdown. Among young adults, Australians exhibited the lowest planned PA scores, while in middle-aged groups, the UK recorded the highest. Young adults exhibited the largest reduction in unplanned PA. Across nations, there was a reduction of ~ 2000 steps per day. Large increases in sedentary behavior emerged during lockdown, which were most acute in young adults. Lockdown was associated with a decline in mental health that was more pronounced in women. Conclusions The findings illustrate the deleterious effects of lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations. Australian young and lower middle-aged adults appeared to fare particularly badly in terms of planned PA. The reduction in steps per day is equivalent to the non-expenditure of ~ 100 kcal. Declines in mental health show how harmful lockdowns can be for women in particular.

scholarly journals Physical Activity as a Predictor of the Level of Stress and Quality of Sleep during COVID-19 Lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5811
Author(s):  
Anna Lipert ◽  
Remigiusz Kozłowski ◽  
Dariusz Timler ◽  
Michał Marczak ◽  
Kamila Musiał ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Low Level ◽  
The Government

Background: The coronavirus pandemic and the government restrictions significantly disturbed the daily functioning of people, thereby influencing healthy behaviors, such as physical activity—the core indicator of well-being. This study evaluates the associations between physical activity (PA), the level of stress and quality of sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Methods: An online survey was distributed during the governmental lockdown in April 2020 and included measures for assessing physical activity, stress and sleep. The surveyed participants included all adults aged 18 years and over. The final data were collected from the 1959 respondents using: International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Findings: Almost half of the respondents indicated a low level of PA, performing only 60 min of PA daily. Most of the participants reported a moderate or high level of stress (57% and 29%, respectively) and 64% of them reported poor quality of sleep. People with low levels of stress performed on average 85.1 min/day of walking (WPA), 40.9 min/day of moderate PA (MPA) or 52.6 min/day of vigorous PA (VPA). People with good quality of sleep performed 82.9 min/day of WPA, 43.6 min/day MPA and 40.5 min/day VPA. Interpretation: The results from the study indicate that the volume of daily PA may be a predictor of the level of stress and sleep quality in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. To retain a low level of stress and good quality of sleep, a lifestyle that allows to achieve a moderate level of physical activity should be maintained. The optimal daily dose of PA is at least 70 min per day, involving different intensities.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress Among the U.S. General Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christi J. Guerrini ◽  
Sophie C. Schneider ◽  
Andrew G. Guzick ◽  
Gifty N. Amos Nwankwo ◽  
Isabel Canfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant global toll on emotional well-being, but evidence of mental health impacts in the United States remains limited. In April 2020, we conducted an exploratory survey of U.S. residents to understand prevalence of and factors associated with psychological distress during the pandemic. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics, an online survey platform, and U.S. adult respondents were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. Among 1,366 respondents, 42% (n = 571) reported clinically significant anxiety and 38% (n = 519) reported clinically significant depression. Factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms included Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; younger age; lower income; employment as or living with a health care worker-first responder; caregiver status; SARS-CoV-2 infection status; decreased frequency of engagement in healthy behaviors; and changed frequency of engagement in unhealthy behaviors. That some of these factors are associated with elevated distress during the pandemic is not yet widely appreciated and might be useful in informing management of mental health care resources.

scholarly journals Perceived changes of specific attitudes, perceptions and behaviors during the Corona pandemic and their relation to wellbeing

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arndt Büssing ◽  
Daniela Rodrigues Recchia ◽  
Rudolf Hein ◽  
Thomas Dienberg
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cronbach’S Alpha ◽  
Satisfaction Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cronbach's Alpha ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
And Behaviors

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, most people had to cope with the restrictions of the lockdown, leaving them to their fears, insecurity and isolation. On the other hand, due to the unexpected ‘extra time’ there was room for new experiences and for personal reflections on what is essential in life, to perceive nature and relations more consciously etc. We, therefore, intended to analyze perceived changes of attitudes and behaviors during the time of lockdown, and whether these perceptions would contribute to personal wellbeing during the pandemic. Methods An anonym cross-sectional online survey was performed for data collection, using standardized questionnaires, i.e., the WHO-Five Well-being Index (WHO-5), Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale (BMLSS), Awe/Gratitude scale (GrAw-7), and the newly developed Perceived Changes Questionnaire (PCQ). Results Within the number of respondents (n = 1277), women were predominating (67.5%). Participants’ mean age was 50.9 ± 14.9 years. Exploratory factor analyses showed that the 24-item Perceived Changes Questionnaire differentiated five factors that would account for 61% of variance: (1) Nature/Silence/Contemplation (Cronbach’s alpha = .87), (2) Spirituality (Cronbach’s alpha = .83), (3) Relationships (Cronbach’s alpha = .80), (4) Reflection on life (Cronbach’s alpha = .74), (5) Digital media usage (Cronbach’s alpha = .74). Strongest changes were observed for Relationships and Nature/Silence/Contemplation. Perceived changes were stronger among older persons, among persons with higher wellbeing, and among those who relied on their faith as a resource. These changes were predicted best by a person’s perception of wondering awe in distinct situations with subsequent feelings of gratitude. Stepwise regression analyzes revealed that participants’ wellbeing was explained best by low perceived burden and high life satisfaction (R2 = .46). Awe/gratitude, perceived changes in terms of Nature/Silence/Contemplation and low Reflections of live are further variables that would predict a person’s wellbeing among the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions During the Corona pandemic, people tried to find ways to adapt to the outcomes of the restrictions. The perceived changes of attitudes and behaviors can be interpreted in terms of a reappraisal strategy. These can be measured with the extended version of the PCQ which was found to have good quality indices and a plausible factor structure. The reported changes contribute to persons’ wellbeing only to some extend, indicating that they represent an independent quality of relevance in peoples’ life.

scholarly journals Attitudes of university students towards classroom physical activity breaks in the Netherlands

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C De Bot ◽  
M Brands ◽  
E Kremers ◽  
E van Ewijk ◽  
J Dierx
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
University Students ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Active Breaks ◽  
Climbing Stairs

Abstract Background Regular physical activity has multiple benefits for physical, mental, and psychosocial, however many students do not meet the national physical activity guidelines. Classroom physical activity can help students be more physically active. This study investigated the attitude of university students towards classroom physical activity breaks in a university of applied science setting Methods Within this research a mixed methods design have been applied. A online survey was completed by 2016 students an semi-structured interviews were conducted among 19 students. Results A total of 2016 students successfully completed the questionnaire with a mean of 18-21 year (67%) and 52 % female. No classroom physical activity breaks were used during the lessons. In addition, almost half of the students are not able to concentrate well during the classes. Students (39%) noticed that physical activity during classes had a positive influence on their concentration. The majority of the students are open to activating forms of teaching at universities of applied sciences (69%). Students have a clear preference for active breaks, curriculum-focused active breaks. Physical activities such as climbing stairs, sports exercises are not students preferred activities. Conclusions Implementing classroom physical activity breaks can improve student physical activity and concentration during school and behavior in the classroom. Activities such as climbing stairs, intense aerobic exercise were perceived as inconvenient. Active breaks, curriculum-focused active breaks were acknowledged by students. Key messages Keep physical activity breaks short and manageable. Physical activity breaks can help in stress reduction and improving psychological well-being.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity Behavior and Well-Being of Canadians

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris A. Lesser ◽  
Carl P. Nienhuis
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Activity Behaviour ◽  
Physical Activity Behavior ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Active Population ◽  
Activity Behavior ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

A global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in restrictions to daily living for Canadians, including social distancing and closure of city and provincial recreation facilities, national parks and playgrounds. The objective of this study was to assess how these preemptive measures impacted physical activity behaviour and well-being of Canadians. An online survey was utilized to measure participant physical activity behavior, nature exposure, well-being and anxiety levels. Results indicate that while 40.5% of inactive individuals became less active, only 22.4% of active individuals became less active. Comparatively, 33% of inactive individuals became more active while 40.3% of active individuals became more active. There were significant differences in well-being outcomes in the inactive population between those who were more active, the same or less active (p < 0.001) but this was not seen in the active population. Inactive participants who spent more time engaged in outdoor physical activity had lower anxiety than those who spent less time in outdoor physical activity. Public health measures differentially affected Canadians who were active and inactive and physical activity was strongly associated with well-being outcomes in inactive individuals. This suggests that health promoting measures directed towards inactive individuals may be essential to improving well-being.

scholarly journals Get(ting) to the Start Line – the evaluation of an innovative intervention to address adolescents’ school-related stress and anxiety

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 642-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine Cale ◽  
Jo Harris ◽  
Oliver Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
School Based ◽  
East Midlands ◽  
Start Line ◽  
School Based Interventions ◽  
Related Stress

There are growing concerns over young people’s mental health, the academic pressures they face, and the association between school-related stress and health. Given this, alongside the known benefits of physical activity for psychological health, the need for school-based interventions with a physical activity focus seems justified. This paper reports on findings from the evaluation of a pilot of ‘Get to the Start Line’, an innovative school-based programme designed to address adolescents’ school-related stress and anxiety. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach and a pre- and post- design. Six schools from the East Midlands, UK, and selected year 11 pupils (aged 15–16) identified as experiencing examination-related stress and anxiety, participated in the programme. The programme was coordinated by a school champion (a staff member), delivered by an athlete mentor, and comprised six workshops. Data were collected from school champions and athlete mentors via an online survey following each workshop, and via semi-structured focus groups and interviews with pupils and school champions, respectively, pre-, mid- and post-intervention. Schools also provided relevant pupil data. The findings revealed the programme to be positively received by most pupils and to result in positive outcomes such as reported reductions in examination-related stress and anxiety for some, and fewer pupil well-being referrals. However, various challenges and limitations of the programme were identified, and recommendations were made for its future development. Therefore, whilst some of the findings were encouraging, further research into the implementation and impact of this and other such programmes is needed.

scholarly journals A Required College Wellness Course Changes Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Physical Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-121
Author(s):  
Anna Katherine Leal ◽  
Edien Fernandini ◽  
Brandon Jackson ◽  
Madeleine Mason ◽  
David Elmer
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
College Health ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
Course Changes ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Cues To Action ◽  
Recommended Guidelines

We examined effects of a required college health and wellness course on students’ physical activity (PA) attitudes and behaviors. A survey based on models of behavior change was emailed (September 2016 – May 2017) to all students at a liberal arts college. Of 408 students who responded, 217 had completed the course and 191 had not. Students who had taken the course reported more confidence in their ability to improve their physical fitness; found more encouragement from cues to action; and met recommended guidelines for weekly PA more than students who had not taken the course. Compared to males, females had less confidence in their ability to increase PA and improve fitness and overall health. Females perceived barriers to PA as more discouraging and cues to action as less encouraging. Data showed a required college health and wellness course altered students’ PA attitudes and behaviors.

scholarly journals Being active during lockdown: the recovery potential of physical activity for well-being

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clément Ginoux ◽  
Sandrine Isoard-Gautheur ◽  
Claudia Teran-Escobar ◽  
Cyril Forestier ◽  
Aïna Chalabaev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Need Satisfaction ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Subjective Vitality ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Recovery Experiences

Objective. To examine the indirect relationships between physical activity, and well-being (i.e., need satisfaction, subjective vitality, and stress) of individuals, through recovery experiences (i.e., detachment from lockdown, relaxation, mastery and control over leisure time) during the spring 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.Design. Cross-sectional.Methods. 405 participants answered an online survey including questions on physical activity, recovery experiences, subjective vitality, perceived stress and basic psychological needs satisfaction. Structural equation modelling tested a full-mediated model in which physical activity predicted recovery experience, which in turn predicted well-being.Results. Physical activity was positively related to a latent variable representing recovery experiences, which in turn was positively related to a latent variable representing well-being.Conclusions. Physical activity carried out regularly during the COVID-19 lockdown predicted positively well-being through recovery experiences. The study results highlight the importance of maintaining or increasing physical activity during periods when recovery experiences and well-being may be threatened.

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