A mental health paradox: Mental health was both a motivator and barrier to physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health, physical activity, and sedentary behavior of people worldwide. According to the Health Belief Model (HBM), health-related behavior is determined by perceived barriers and motivators. Using an online survey with 1669 respondents, we sought to understand why and how physical activity and sedentary behavior has changed by querying about perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity that changed because of the pandemic, and how those changes impacted mental health. The following results were statistically significant at p < .05. Consistent with prior reports, our respondents were less physically active (aerobic activity, -11%; strength-based activity, -30%) and more sedentary (+11%) during the pandemic as compared to 6-months befor

SUBMITTER: Marashi MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8016471 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature