Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors During COVID-19: Associations with Psychological Distress Among Mothers
- PMID: 34815716
- PMCID: PMC8605880
- DOI: 10.2147/IJWH.S333719
Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors During COVID-19: Associations with Psychological Distress Among Mothers
Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased mothers' caregiving demands, potentially placing them at increased risk for reduced engagement in healthful behaviors and high psychological distress.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe perceived changes in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviors and the prevalence of different measures of psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and positive and negative affect) among mothers. We also evaluated the associations of perceived change in MVPA and sedentary behaviors with measures of psychological distress.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 317 mothers living with children (0-20 years old) at home. Mothers self-reported perceived changes in MVPA and sedentary behaviors from before the pandemic to during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and early reopening, and levels of depression and anxiety symptomatology, perceived stress, and positive and negative affect during the pandemic.
Results: Compared to pre-pandemic levels, 39% of mothers reported engaging less in MVPA, and 63% reported engaging in more sedentary activities. One-quarter and 31% of mothers reported moderate/severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively, and 78% medium/high levels of perceived stress. Adjusted linear regression analyses revealed that reduced MVPA and increased sedentary behaviors were associated with high average scores of depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, negative affect, and low scores of positive affect.
Conclusion: A large proportion of mothers reported being less physically active and more engaged in sedentary behaviors, which were associated with increases in psychological distress. Clinical and public health intervention efforts should consider how to improve mothers' physical and mental health as the country emerges from this crisis.
Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; depression; mothers; physical activity; stress.
© 2021 de Brito et al.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Similar articles
-
Associations of Mothers' and Children's Stress With Children's Device-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Trajectories Across 3 Years.J Phys Act Health. 2021 Mar 30;18(5):477-487. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2020-0558. Print 2021 May 1. J Phys Act Health. 2021. PMID: 33785655
-
Prospective COVID-19 related changes in physical activity and sedentary time and associations with symptoms of depression and anxiety.Ment Health Phys Act. 2021 Oct;21:100425. doi: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2021.100425. Epub 2021 Sep 28. Ment Health Phys Act. 2021. PMID: 34611463 Free PMC article.
-
Strange Days: Adult Physical Activity and Mental Health in the First Two Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic.Front Public Health. 2021 Apr 15;9:567552. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.567552. eCollection 2021. Front Public Health. 2021. PMID: 33937160 Free PMC article.
-
Isotemporal substitution modeling on sedentary behaviors and physical activity with depressive symptoms among older adults in the U.S.: The national health and nutrition examination survey, 2007-2016.J Affect Disord. 2019 Oct 1;257:257-262. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.036. Epub 2019 Jul 5. J Affect Disord. 2019. PMID: 31301629
-
Relationships among affective states, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in children: Moderation by perceived stress.Health Psychol. 2018 Oct;37(10):904-914. doi: 10.1037/hea0000639. Health Psychol. 2018. PMID: 30234349 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
The Effects of Physical Activity on Health-Related Quality of Life Among Working Mothers Living in Amman: A Correlational Study.J Multidiscip Healthc. 2023 Jul 17;16:1989-2000. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S414826. eCollection 2023. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2023. PMID: 37484818 Free PMC article.
-
Opportunities and Challenges to Advance Health Equity Using Digital Health Tools in Underserved Communities in Southeast US: A Mixed Methods Study.J Prim Care Community Health. 2023 Jan-Dec;14:21501319231184789. doi: 10.1177/21501319231184789. J Prim Care Community Health. 2023. PMID: 37401631 Free PMC article.
-
Reflecting on physical activity across 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic: Predictors of intention-behavior profiles.Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2023 May;15(2):757-775. doi: 10.1111/aphw.12409. Epub 2022 Nov 7. Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2023. PMID: 36344248 Free PMC article.
-
Self-reported mental well-being of mothers with young children during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: A mixed-methods study.Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan-Dec;18:17455057221114274. doi: 10.1177/17455057221114274. Womens Health (Lond). 2022. PMID: 35997231 Free PMC article.
References
Grant support
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources