Perceiving Reduced Physical Activity During COVID-19 Lockdown is Related to Lower Quality of Life: a Cross-Sectional Study with Young Adults

Physical activity and social participation are positively related to mental health and represent resources that strengthen individuals’ resilience. However, the measures aiming to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic included restrictions regarding these health resources. For many people, stay-at-home orders had a negative effect on mental health and health-related behaviors such as physical activity. Young adults seem to be a particularly vulnerable group. The study aimed to examine the relationship between changes in physical activity and perceived quality of life in young adults during lockdown conditions. We conducted an online survey during the second lockdown in Germany and assessed perceived changes in physical activity, social activities, quality of life (QoL), the perceived burden of changes in social activities, and current QoL in 212 young adults (63.7% women, mean age = 23.46, standard deviation = 3.63). Young adults that maintained or increased their physical activity level under lockdown conditions, rated their current QoL higher and perceived a less negative change of their QoL during lockdown compared to those with decreased physical activity. Furthermore, those who rated that their physical activity levels did not change or increased, perceived the reduction of their social activities as less burdening. The results indicate that physical activity is a beneficial health resource during lockdown conditions. This highlights the importance of gaining knowledge regarding the antecedents of reducing physical activity and developing strategies that support young adults to be physically active in challenging times such as the pandemic (e.g. ehealth/mhealth approaches).