Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Physical Activity and Lifestyles of Male and Female Athletes Varying in Discipline, Level and Nationality

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced physical activity levels in the general population. This study seeks to examine the impact of pandemic-related lockdowns on physical activity among athletes, comparing individuals across different performance levels and countries. A cross-sectional study was employed. Between 5 and 15 April 2020, they were administered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Short-Form General Health Questionnaire (SF-12) (including SF-12 Physical and Mental Component Summary subscores [PCS and MCS respectively]). Before the lockdown, women had higher energy expenditure (AEE) and physical component scores (PCS) compared to men, while mental component scores MCS were higher for men than for women. During a lockdown, total activity time (TAT) and AEE decreased significantly for all athletes, sitting time increased, and quality of life worsened. TAT, AEE, and PCS became similar between sexes during lockdown, but women had lower MCS at low activity levels, except for high-level female athletes, who showed similar MCS to males. In conclusion, the COVID-19 lockdown negatively impacted athletes’ Total activity time, activity energy expenditure, and quality of life were greater among low-level athletes, particularly females.