The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity in Stockholm County - Evidence from time series models of smartphone measured daily steps data spanning over 3 years.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that physical activity levels decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies often relied on self-reported physical activity, which has low accuracy. Studies based on objectively measured physical activity have had short data collection periods, thereby not allowing the consideration of pre-pandemic levels of physical activity or the influence over the different waves of the pandemic. METHODS: In this study, we utilize smartphone-measured step data from a nonprobability sample in Stockholm County, Sweden, where measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 differed from those in many other countries. The results are based on 522 individuals and 532,739 person-days with step data spanning from 2019 to 2021. Generalized additive models were fitted for each individual, and meta-regression was used to combine the results from individual models. RESULTS: Daily steps decreased during the first wave but increased during the third wave compared to individual pre-pandemic levels. The decrease in daily steps occurred primarily in young individuals and those with occupations allowing remote work. Individuals of retirement age on the contrary increased their daily steps during the same period. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveal that the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic was temporary and that younger age and the possibility of working from home were associated with a decreasing trend in physical activity.

Age-Related Decline in Physical Activity Level in the Healthy Older Japanese Population.

The Dietary Reference Intakes 2020 divided the older population into those aged 65-74 y and those over 75 y old. However, physical activity level in each age group was not specified. This study examined age-related differences in physical activity level among healthy Japanese older people, and the effect of lifestyles on these differences. In total, 70 people (22 men, 48 women) aged 65-85 y old participated in this study. Total energy expenditure was measured using the doubly labeled water method, and basal metabolic rate using expired gas concentration and volume. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly and a triaxial accelerometer were used to assess physical activities. Physical activity level was significantly higher among 65-74 y old (median 1.86) than those over 75 y old (1.76). However, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly did not show any significant differences between the age groups. The duration of physical activity with 3.0-5.9 metabolic equivalents was longer for both locomotive and household activities among 65-74 y old than those over 75 y old. Younger participants walked a median of 6,364 steps a day, compared with 4,419 steps for older people. The 65-74 y old participants involved in paid work or who habitually exercised, and those over 75 y old taking more than 40 min a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and walking more than the median level for their sex and age group had significantly higher physical activity levels.

[Effects of different steps of brisk walking on the fitness of middle-aged and old men].

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effect of walking pace on the fitness of middle-aged and elderly people in order to provide more theoretical data for the development of entensive mass fitness based on the means of sports physiological and biochemical techniques. METHODS: The selected 80 middle-aged and elderly subjects were divided into three groups:brisk walking group A (n=30, 56.26 ±3.68 years), brisk walking group B (n=30, 57.65 ±4.78 years), and control group C (n=20, 55. 73 ±4. 18 years). Exercise group A:10 000~12 000 steps/day, a total of 16 weeks; walking group B:10 000~12 000 steps/day in the first 10 weeks, 14 000~15 000 steps/day in the last 6 weeks. Control group C:keeping the normal living conditions. The indicators were tested before the experiment and after the tenth week and the sixteenth week of the experiment. Test indicators included systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, vital capacity, timed vital capacity, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol. RESULTS: The levels of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the vital capacity and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were increased significantly in both exercise groups afler 10 and 16 weeks compared with those in the same group betor test(P<0. 05, P<0. 01). The levels of diastolic blood pressure, timed vital capacity, serum triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in exercise group B after 16 weeks were significantly higher than those of exercise group A (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ten thousand steps away every day can effectively improve the indexes of blood pressure, vital capacity, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol of middle-aged and elderly men and it can further improve the indicator above by increasing the number of steps after 10 weeks.

Fractal analysis of lateral movement in biomembranes.

Lateral movement of a molecule in a biomembrane containing small compartments (0.23-µm diameter) and large ones (0.75 µm) is analyzed using a fractal description of its walk. The early time dependence of the mean square displacement varies from linear due to the contribution of ballistic motion. In small compartments, walking molecules do not have sufficient time or space to develop an asymptotic relation and the diffusion coefficient deduced from the experimental records is lower than that measured without restrictions. The model makes it possible to deduce the molecule step parameters, namely the step length and time, from data concerning confined and unrestricted diffusion coefficients. This is also possible using experimental results for sub-diffusive transport. The transition from normal to anomalous diffusion does not affect the molecule step parameters. The experimental literature data on molecular trajectories recorded at a high time resolution appear to confirm the modeled value of the mean free path length of DOPE for Brownian and anomalous diffusion. Although the step length and time give the proper values of diffusion coefficient, the DOPE speed calculated as their quotient is several orders of magnitude lower than the thermal speed. This is interpreted as a result of intermolecular interactions, as confirmed by lateral diffusion of other molecules in different membranes. The molecule step parameters are then utilized to analyze the problem of multiple visits in small compartments. The modeling of the diffusion exponent results in a smooth transition to normal diffusion on entering a large compartment, as observed in experiments.

Effects of different steps of brisk walking on the fitness of middle-aged and old men / 中国应用生理学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze the effect of walking pace on the fitness of middle-aged and elderly people in order to provide more theoretical data for the development of entensive mass fitness based on the means of sports physiological and biochemical techniques.@*METHODS@#The selected 80 middle-aged and elderly subjects were divided into three groups:brisk walking group A (=30, 56.26 ±3.68 years), brisk walking group B (=30, 57.65 ±4.78 years), and control group C (=20, 55. 73 ±4. 18 years). Exercise group A:10 000~12 000 steps/day, a total of 16 weeks; walking group B:10 000~12 000 steps/day in the first 10 weeks, 14 000~15 000 steps/day in the last 6 weeks. Control group C:keeping the normal living conditions. The indicators were tested before the experiment and after the tenth week and the sixteenth week of the experiment. Test indicators included systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, vital capacity, timed vital capacity, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol.@*RESULTS@#The levels of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased significantly (<0.05, <0.01), while the vital capacity and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were increased significantly in both exercise groups afler 10 and 16 weeks compared with those in the same group betor test(<0. 05, <0. 01). The levels of diastolic blood pressure, timed vital capacity, serum triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in exercise group B after 16 weeks were significantly higher than those of exercise group A (<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Ten thousand steps away every day can effectively improve the indexes of blood pressure, vital capacity, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol of middle-aged and elderly men and it can further improve the indicator above by increasing the number of steps after 10 weeks.