Evidencing the influence of pre-pandemic sports participation and substance misuse on physical activity during the COVID‑19 lockdown: a prospective analysis among older adolescents

• Authors: Barbara Gilic , Natasa Zenic , Vlatko Separovic , Anamarija Jurcev Savicevic , Damir Sekulic

Abstracts

EN

ObjectivesThe physical activity level (PAL) has significantly decreased as a result of the social distancing and lockdown related to the COVID‑19 pandemic, but there is a lack of knowledge on the correlates of PAL during the pandemic. The aim of this research was to examine the influence of pre-pandemic sports participation and substance use and misuse (SUM) on PAL during the COVID‑19 pandemic.Material and MethodsThe study included 661 high-school students from Bosnia and Herzegovina (aged 15–18 years, 292 females). The investigation included 2 testing waves: before the COVID‑19 pandemic (baseline, January 2020) and during the COVID‑19 lockdown (follow-up, April 2020). The variables included PAL as measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents, sports factors, and SUM.ResultsSports factors at baseline were positively correlated with PALs at both baseline and follow-up. Smoking tobacco negatively affected PALs at both baseline and follow-up. Alcohol consumption was positively correlated with PAL at baseline but had no effect on PAL at follow-up.ConclusionsThis study confirmed the importance of sports participation in maintaining PAL during challenging situations, such as the COVID‑19 lockdown. The substance-specific influence of SUM on PAL before and during the lockdown points to evident social and cultural aspects of SUM behaviors in adolescents. Further studies evidencing the cumulative effects of PAL decline during the lockdown are warranted.

Keywords

EN

risk factors; tobacco; health behavior; exercise; teenagers; virus diseases

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 151-163

Dates

published

2021

Contributors

author

Barbara Gilic

• University of Split, Split, Croatia (Faculty of Kinesiology)
• University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia (Faculty of Kinesiology)

author

Natasa Zenic

• University of Split, Split, Croatia (Faculty of Kinesiology)

author

Vlatko Separovic

• University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Faculty of Physical Education and Sports)

author

Anamarija Jurcev Savicevic

• Teaching Institute of Public Health of Split Dalmatian County, Split, Croatia

author

Damir Sekulic

• University of Split, Split, Croatia (Faculty of Kinesiology)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01733

Biblioteka Nauki

2086094