Leisure time physical activity and exercise performance in active older people in rural areas–Comparison of the first and second COVID-19 related lockdown in Germany

The closure of all sports facilities during the two lockdowns in Germany favoured a reduction of leisure time physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to compare leisure time physical activity during the 1(st) and 2(nd) lockdown and to examine exercise performance before and after resumption of exercise. Leisure time physical activity was measured by the Longitudinal Urban Cohort Ageing Study (LUCAS) functional ability index and energy expenditure in the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants’ exercise performance was extracted from a chip-controlled fitness circuit. Differences were tested for statistical significance using Friedman tests. 35 participants above 60 years were included from the Oldenburg area (20 women, 15 men, mean age and standard deviation 71±6 years). The decline in energy expenditure was higher during the 2(nd) lockdown (1(st) lockdown: Median -55.7 kcal(.)day(-1), Q(0.25)−121.3 kcal(.)day(-1), Q(0.75) 132.9 kcal(.)day(-1); 2(nd) lockdown: Median -119.7 kcal(.)day(-1), Q(0.25)−255.6 kcal(.)day(-1), Q0.75−65.1 kcal(.)day(-1); Friedman test: p<0.001, n = 35, W = 0.262). The time spent in the fitness circuit decreased from lockdown to lockdown as well as the number of participants exercising there. Intense activities were performed during the two lockdowns by only 7 and 3 participants, respectively, and were not resumed by two-thirds of the participants after the 2(nd) lockdown. During the 1(st) lockdown, exercise performance on resistance exercise devices increased in most of them, while it decreased by 1 to 7% during the 2(nd) lockdown. The lockdowns limited leisure time physical activity in older adults. This was more pronounced during the lockdown in winter 2020/2021, when participants engaged less in outdoor activities. Therefore, measures should be taken to maintain physical activity and muscle strength, especially during winter months, with a home-based training, if visiting gyms is not possible.