Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity of university students

ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence of physical activity (PA) in the United Arab Emirates was a source of concern before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was crucial to examine the effects of the lockdown measures on PA in the region. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on PA levels and characteristics among university students in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2021 and March 2021 using an online questionnaire. A total of 410 responses were received and analyzed using SPSS v26. Results: The prevalence of PA decreased from 62.7% to 59.3% after the lockdown. Most students (43.58%) used to practice 1–3 times/week; this percentage decreased to 35.8% after the lockdown. During the pandemic, 39.5% of the students had their usual PA affected. Consequently, 41.6% decided to quit exercising and 53% started practicing at home as an alternative. Regarding exercise outcomes, 54.4% of the students did not meet their exercise goals. Among those whose PA was restricted during the pandemic, 51.9% started eating junk food. Men were twice as likely to maintain their PA schedules as women (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.07–3.34]). Moreover, men were 3.5 times less likely to engage in light exercise than moderate-intensity exercise compared to women (OR = 3.47, 95% CI = [1.15–10.41]). Conclusion: This study showed that COVID-19 lockdown in the United Arab Emirates had a detrimental impact on university students’ PA and dietary choices. This emphasizes the need for health promotion and preparedness strategies for future pandemics.