Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study

Objectives Physical inactivity is more common in older adults, is associated with social isolation and loneliness and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. We examined the effect of social restrictions to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the UK (lockdown), on physical activity (PA) levels...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alison H McGregor, Lefkos T Middleton, David Salman, Sara Ahmadi-Abhari, Celeste A de Jager Loots, Parthenia Giannakopoulou, Catherine E Robb, Chinedu T Udeh-Momoh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-08-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e050680.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850135734960259072
author Alison H McGregor
Lefkos T Middleton
David Salman
Sara Ahmadi-Abhari
Celeste A de Jager Loots
Parthenia Giannakopoulou
Catherine E Robb
Chinedu T Udeh-Momoh
author_facet Alison H McGregor
Lefkos T Middleton
David Salman
Sara Ahmadi-Abhari
Celeste A de Jager Loots
Parthenia Giannakopoulou
Catherine E Robb
Chinedu T Udeh-Momoh
author_sort Alison H McGregor
collection DOAJ
description Objectives Physical inactivity is more common in older adults, is associated with social isolation and loneliness and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. We examined the effect of social restrictions to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the UK (lockdown), on physical activity (PA) levels of older adults and the social predictors of any change.Design Baseline analysis of a survey-based prospective cohort study.Setting Adults enrolled in the Cognitive Health in Ageing Register for Investigational and Observational Trials cohort from general practitioner practices in North West London were invited to participate from April to July 2020.Participants 6219 cognitively healthy adults aged 50–92 years completed the survey.Main outcome measures Self-reported PA before and after the introduction of lockdown, as measured by metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes. Associations of PA with demographic, lifestyle and social factors, mood and frailty.Results Mean PA was significantly lower following the introduction of lockdown from 3519 to 3185 MET min/week (p<0.001). After adjustment for confounders and prelockdown PA, lower levels of PA after the introduction of lockdown were found in those who were over 85 years old (640 (95% CI 246 to 1034) MET min/week less); were divorced or single (240 (95% CI 120 to 360) MET min/week less); living alone (277 (95% CI 152 to 402) MET min/week less); reported feeling lonely often (306 (95% CI 60 to 552) MET min/week less); and showed symptoms of depression (1007 (95% CI 612 to 1401) MET min/week less) compared with those aged 50–64 years, married, cohabiting and not reporting loneliness or depression, respectively.Conclusions and implications Markers of social isolation, loneliness and depression were associated with lower PA following the introduction of lockdown in the UK. Targeted interventions to increase PA in these groups should be considered.
format Article
id doaj-art-73fe10b862be428a969fe6ff43e46d99
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2021-08-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-73fe10b862be428a969fe6ff43e46d992025-08-20T02:31:19ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-08-0111810.1136/bmjopen-2021-050680Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort studyAlison H McGregor0Lefkos T Middleton1David Salman2Sara Ahmadi-Abhari3Celeste A de Jager Loots4Parthenia Giannakopoulou5Catherine E Robb6Chinedu T Udeh-Momoh7professor of musculoskeletal biodynamicsAgeing Epidemiology Research Unit (AGE), Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UKMSk Lab, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UKAgeing Epidemiology Research Unit (AGE), Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UKAgeing Epidemiology Research Unit (AGE), Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UKAgeing Epidemiology Research Unit (AGE), Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UKAgeing Epidemiology Research Unit (AGE), Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UKDivision of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenObjectives Physical inactivity is more common in older adults, is associated with social isolation and loneliness and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. We examined the effect of social restrictions to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the UK (lockdown), on physical activity (PA) levels of older adults and the social predictors of any change.Design Baseline analysis of a survey-based prospective cohort study.Setting Adults enrolled in the Cognitive Health in Ageing Register for Investigational and Observational Trials cohort from general practitioner practices in North West London were invited to participate from April to July 2020.Participants 6219 cognitively healthy adults aged 50–92 years completed the survey.Main outcome measures Self-reported PA before and after the introduction of lockdown, as measured by metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes. Associations of PA with demographic, lifestyle and social factors, mood and frailty.Results Mean PA was significantly lower following the introduction of lockdown from 3519 to 3185 MET min/week (p<0.001). After adjustment for confounders and prelockdown PA, lower levels of PA after the introduction of lockdown were found in those who were over 85 years old (640 (95% CI 246 to 1034) MET min/week less); were divorced or single (240 (95% CI 120 to 360) MET min/week less); living alone (277 (95% CI 152 to 402) MET min/week less); reported feeling lonely often (306 (95% CI 60 to 552) MET min/week less); and showed symptoms of depression (1007 (95% CI 612 to 1401) MET min/week less) compared with those aged 50–64 years, married, cohabiting and not reporting loneliness or depression, respectively.Conclusions and implications Markers of social isolation, loneliness and depression were associated with lower PA following the introduction of lockdown in the UK. Targeted interventions to increase PA in these groups should be considered.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e050680.full
spellingShingle Alison H McGregor
Lefkos T Middleton
David Salman
Sara Ahmadi-Abhari
Celeste A de Jager Loots
Parthenia Giannakopoulou
Catherine E Robb
Chinedu T Udeh-Momoh
Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
BMJ Open
title Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
title_full Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
title_fullStr Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
title_short Impact of social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50–92 years: a baseline survey of the CHARIOT COVID-19 Rapid Response prospective cohort study
title_sort impact of social restrictions during the covid 19 pandemic on the physical activity levels of adults aged 50 92 years a baseline survey of the chariot covid 19 rapid response prospective cohort study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e050680.full
work_keys_str_mv AT alisonhmcgregor impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT lefkostmiddleton impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT davidsalman impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT saraahmadiabhari impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT celesteadejagerloots impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT partheniagiannakopoulou impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT catherineerobb impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy
AT chinedutudehmomoh impactofsocialrestrictionsduringthecovid19pandemiconthephysicalactivitylevelsofadultsaged5092yearsabaselinesurveyofthechariotcovid19rapidresponseprospectivecohortstudy