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Prospective analysis of physical activity levels and associated fitness factors amid COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing rules. A special focus on adolescents

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is a significant health determinant and is likely to be influenced by social-distancing rules imposed by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored gender-based differences in physical activity levels (PALs) and associated factors amid COVID-19 pandemi...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Elnaggar, R.K., Alqahtani, B.A., Mahmoud, W.S., Elfakharany, M.S.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier Masson SAS. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8818090/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35153371
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2021.07.002
Descripción
Sumario:OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is a significant health determinant and is likely to be influenced by social-distancing rules imposed by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored gender-based differences in physical activity levels (PALs) and associated factors amid COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents. METHODS: In this prospective analysis, 112 healthy adolescents (15.63 ± 1.21 years) participated. They were assessed at the baseline (before the announcement of COVID-19 as a global pandemic) for anthropometry, fitness status, and PALs (baseline-PALs), and next at the follow-up (three months of imposed social-distancing rules) for PALs (follow-up-PALs) over an internet-based platform through the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. RESULTS: A significant PALs decline was evidenced for the whole sample (P < .001) and such a decline was predominantly affected by significant PALs reduction among males (P < .001) rather than in females (P = .06). The fitness variables (explosive power, muscle endurance, flexibility, and aerobic endurance) were consistently positively correlated with the baseline- and follow-up-PALs in both genders with particularly prominent associations of PALs with explosive power and aerobic endurance. CONCLUSION: Physical literacy is necessary for PALs preservation, given the remarkable PALs decreases among adolescents during challenging circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.