Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity in the Context of the SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic

Study of Predictors

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational participation in PA has been increasingly valued for its positive impact on health and well-being promotion. Objective: To investigate whether age, gender, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, Body Mass Index (BMI), sleep duration, pathology and medication predict the volume of moderate intensity PA according to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, of at least 150 minutes per week, in Portuguese adults of both genders, during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic in 2021, after a lockdown phase. Methods: Cross-sectional observational analytic study. Data collection through online questionnaire containing the IPAQ-SF and analysis through binary logistic regression. Results: Sample (n=216), mostly female (67.6%), aged between 18 and 65 years. Most participants (60.2%) did not comply with the practice of moderate intensity PA, according to WHO recommendations. Sleep duration (p=0.001), age (p=0.030) and smoking habits (p=0.025) seemed to significantly predict, by about 15% (Nagelkerke R2=0,150), the practice of moderate intensity PA of at least 150 minutes weekly. Conclusion: This study suggests that sleep duration, age and smoking habits may be significant predictors of moderate intensity PA.