Home-based exercise during confinement in COVID-19 pandemic and mental health in adults: a cross-sectional comparative study / Exercício físico em casa durante o confinamento na pandemia COVID-19 e a saúde mental em adultos: um estudo comparativo transversal

This study compared the quality of life, sleep quality, eating attitudes, and psychological aspects among adults (22.93 ± 2.58 years), whether physically inactive or not, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were enrolled into: home-based exercise during the confinement (HBE group, n = 34), physically inactive during (PIDC group, n = 28), and before the confinement (PIBC group, n = 27). The depression, anxiety, and stress scale - Short Form, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, the Eating Attitudes Test, and the quality of life questionnaire were used to assess var-iables. The covariance analysis (covariable - gender) was used to compare variables among the groups. The effect size was calculated by Cohen "d" (ESd). The HBE group presented a better quality of life compared to both PIDC (p = 0.002, ESd = 1.26) and PIBC (p = 0.008, ESd = 1.00) groups. Anxiety (p = 0.004, ESd = 0.96), depression (p = 0.02, ESd = 0.65) and stress (p = 0.02, ESd = 0.72) were significantly higher in the PIDC group when compared to HBE group. Self-reported sleep quality was better in the HBE group than in both other groups (p < 0.05). No group presented eating disorder symptoms; however, the HBE group has shown higher scores compared to both PIBC group (p = 0.01). In conclusion, adults who had exercised at home during the COVID-19 pandemic presented better quality of life, self-reported sleep quality, and reduced anxiety, depression, and stress levels than those physically inactive ones before and during the pandemic

Este estudo comparou a qualidade de vida, qualidade subjetiva do sono, atitudes alimentares e aspectos psicológicos em adultos (22,93 ± 2,58 anos), fisicamente inativos ou não, antes e durante a pandemia do COVID-19. Os participantes foram divididos em: exercícios domiciliares durante o confinamento (grupo EDDC, n = 34), fisicamente inativos durante (grupo FIDC, n = 28) e antes do confinamento (grupo FIAC, n = 27). A escala de depressão, ansiedade e estresse ­ versão curta, índice de qualidade do sono de Pittsburgh, teste de atitudes alimentares e o questionário de qualidade de vida foram utilizados para avaliar variáveis. A análise de covariância (covariável ­ gênero) foi utilizada para comparar os grupos. O tamanho do efeito foi calculado por Cohen "d " (ESd). O grupo EDDC apresentou uma melhor qualidade de vida em comparação aos grupos FIDC (p = 0,002, ESd = 1,26) e FIAC (p = 0,008, ESd = 1,00). Ansiedade (p = 0,004, ESd = 0,96), depressão (p = 0,02, ESd = 0,65) e estresse (p = 0,02, ESd = 0,72) foram significativamente maiores no grupo FIDC quando comparados ao EDDC. A qualidade do sono subjetiva foi melhor no EDDC do que nos outros grupos (p < 0,05). Nenhum grupo apresentou sintomas de transtorno alimentar; entretanto, o grupo EDDC mostrou escores maiores em comparação ao FIAC (p = 0,01). Em conclusão, adultos que se exercitaram em casa durante a pandemia do COVID-19 apresentaram melhor qualidade de vida, qualidade subjetiva de sono e níveis reduzidos de ansiedade, depressão e estresse do que aqueles fisicamente inativos

COVID-19 and social isolation: the consequences of not exercising for older adults' health

Abstract COVID-19 pandemic has required social isolation to prevent the virus from spreading. Initially, the elderly were the most affected by the novel coronavirus. However, the virus spread out worldwide, affecting all age groups. The elderly are commonly affected by several chronic diseases, and as a consequence of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the community-based exercise programs, which usually provide health and well-being to the elderly, have stopped their activities to avoid the virus to spread out; so, the elderly kept taking medicines but stopped exercising, which must impair their health and increase demand from the public health system. In this sense, the physical education professional is essential to providing safe approaches to the elderly who are not able to enroll in community-based exercise programs but need to exercise to improve their health. This article aims to discuss the consequences of not exercising in older adults' health during the social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; still, we intend to present adjunct strategies to allow the elderly to exercise even socially isolated.