Physical Activity in Adolescents with and without Type 1 Diabetes during the New Zealand COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown of 2020.

Physical activity (PA) is an important part of lifestyle management for adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Opportunities for PA were reduced by COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare PA among adolescents with and without T1D during the first New Zealand (NZ) COVID-19 lockdown. PA levels of adolescents aged 11-18 years with T1D (n = 33) and healthy controls (n = 34) were assessed through self-reported and parent proxy-reported questionnaires. Overall, PA levels during lockdown were below recommended levels. PA levels did not differ between T1D and control participants (p = 0.212) nor between genders (p = 0.149). Younger adolescents tended to be more active than older adolescents (p = 0.079). PA level was negatively associated with BMI z-score (r = -0.29, p = 0.026) but was not associated with socioeconomic status (SES) or T1D-related parameters. In the T1D group, higher HbA1c was associated with lower school decile (r = -0.58, p < 0.001) and higher BMI z-score (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Overall, young people were insufficiently active during lockdown, and some sub-groups were more affected than others by the restrictions. Pandemics are likely to be part of our future, and further studies are needed to understand their impact on the health and wellbeing of adolescents.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic Movement Restrictions on Self-Reported Physical Activity and Health in New Zealand: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

This study describes self-reported physical activity (PA), motivation to exercise, physical and mental health and feelings towards PA during the March-May 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand. Adults over the age of 18 years (n = 238; 80.2% female) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 3, the Short Form-36 and open-ended questions about PA through an anonymous online survey. Regular exercise was undertaken by 85% of respondents prior to lockdown, but only 49.8% were able to maintain their usual level of PA. Although respondents were considered sufficiently physically active from the IPAQ, 51.5% reported not being able to maintain their usual level of PA primarily due to the closure of their gym facilities. Sixty percent of respondents reported that PA had a positive effect on their overall wellbeing. When asked to specify which aspects of wellbeing were affected, the effect on mental health was reported the most while the effect on body image or fitness was reported the least. Strategies to increase or maintain engagement in physical activity during lockdowns should be encouraged to promote positive mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.