Prospective analysis of physical activity levels and associated fitness factors amid COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing rules. A special focus on adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

Physical activity is a significant health determinant and is likely to be influenced by social-distancing rules imposed by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored gender-based differences in physical activity levels (PALs) and associated factors amid COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents.

METHODS

In this prospective analysis, 112 healthy adolescents (15.63 ± 1.21 years) participated. They were assessed at the baseline (before the announcement of COVID-19 as a global pandemic) for anthropometry, fitness status, and PALs (baseline-PALs), and next at the follow-up (three months of imposed social-distancing rules) for PALs (follow-up-PALs) over an internet-based platform through the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents.

RESULTS

A significant PALs decline was evidenced for the whole sample ( < .001) and such a decline was predominantly affected by significant PALs reduction among males ( < .001) rather than in females ( = .06). The fitness variables (explosive power, muscle endurance, flexibility, and aerobic endurance) were consistently positively correlated with the baseline- and follow-up-PALs in both genders with particularly prominent associations of PALs with explosive power and aerobic endurance.

CONCLUSION

Physical literacy is necessary for PALs preservation, given the remarkable PALs decreases among adolescents during challenging circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.