COVID-Inconfidentes: how did COVID-19 and work from home influence the prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity? An analysis of before and during the pandemic

Impact of employment status and work setting on body weight and health behaviors among people with obesity

BACKGROUND

The impact of employment and the work-from-home (WFH) setting on body weight among people with obesity is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship between employment status, WFH setting, and change in body weight among adults with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Patients from an obesity medicine clinic completed an online survey in 2022 to assess health, work, and lifestyle behaviors. Multiple regression models examined the association between WFH status and change in body weight.

RESULTS

The analytical sample included 380 patients (81.9% female, mean age 52.5 years, mean body mass index 43.25, 50.0% non-Hispanic White, 25.7% non-Hispanic Black, 18.7% Hispanic, 5.7% other ethnicity). During the pandemic, 28.7% were employed in a WFH setting (73.4% of this subgroup were in a WFH setting only), 36.1% were employed but not in a WFH setting, 11.8% were unemployed, and 23.4% were retired. Mean body weight change for participants who partially WFH during the pandemic was +5.4 (±7.2) % compared to those completely WFH -0.3 (±9.8) % (P = 0.006). After adjusting for key demographics, participants who were partially WFH gained 7.8% more weight compared to those completely WFH (β= 7.28, SE = 1.91, p <  0.001). The most significant predictors for weight gain after adjusting for WFH frequency (partially vs. completely) included overeating (aOR 11.07, 95% CI 3.33-36.77), more consumption of fast food (aOR 7.59, 95% 2.41-23.91), and depression (aOR 6.07, 95% CI 1.97-18.68).

CONCLUSION

These results show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the WFH hybrid (combination of office and WFH) setting is associated with greater weight gain compared to those who completely WFH in people with obesity. Risk factors include overeating, higher fast food consumption, and depression.

Impact of socioeconomic factors on lifestyle changes among employees of public higher education institutions in ELSA-Brasil during COVID-19 pandemic

This study aimed to identify lifestyle changes and associated sociodemographic factors in women and men participating in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study for Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal study with 3,776 (aged 58.8 years; SD ± 8.5) employees of public higher education institutions in the second follow-up and the wave-COVID of ELSA-Brasil. Data collected using structured questionnaires. An exploratory analysis was performed using binary and multinomial logistic regression on the dependent variables with two and three categories, respectively, by obtaining crude and adjusted odds ratio estimates in SPSS 20.0, considering a p-value < 0.05. There was a reduction in physical activity of 195.5 (SD ± 1,146.4) metabolic equivalents per week in women and 240.5 (SD ± 1,474.2) in men, and in smoking by 15.2%. There was an increase in alcohol consumption in men and women (434.2 ± 5,144.0; and 366.1 ± 4,879.0, respectively), in the food quality score (0.8 ± 3.7, women; 0.5 ± 3.7, men), sleeping time (0.4 ± 1.2, women; 0.5 ± 1.1, men), screen time (1.7 ± 2.4, women; 1.4 ± 2.3, men), and sitting time (1.7 ± 2.6, women; 1.5 ± 2.4, men) (hours/day). In total, 18.6% increased the purchase of ultra-processed foods and 36% increased the purchase of natural foods. Age and work activity contributed to increase the chance of purchasing ultra-processed foods, and age and adherence to social distancing influenced the shift to a more sedentary behavior, while income and active work favored the increase in alcoholic beverage consumption. These factors should be considered when developing public policies to avoid individual behaviors that are harmful to health during pandemics.

Changes in Teleworking and Physical Activity Behaviors in the United States Before and After Emergence of COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of perceived decreases in three physical activity (PA) behaviors and meeting the PA guideline, by changes in telework.

METHODS

US workers ( N = 2393) reported teleworking and PA behaviors before and after COVID-19 emergence. Those reporting more and less telework were compared with those reporting stable telework on prevalence of (1) decreasing behaviors and (2) meeting the aerobic guideline (≥150 min/wk of moderate-intensity PA).

RESULTS

Compared with workers with stable telework, those with increased telework were more likely to report decreases in any PA (by 61%), active transportation (65%), and park use (52%). Workers who deceased telework were also more likely to report decreases in these behaviors. Groups were equally likely to meet the guideline.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in teleworking status-either more or less-may be associated with decreased participation in PA behaviors.

Telework-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders

Telework has become considerably more common during the ongoing pandemic. Although working remotely may have numerous advantages, negative impacts on workers' health and safety should also be considered. Telework is a major contributor to the development or aggravation of work-related musculoskeletal disorders where unsuited workstation ergonomics, sedentary behavior, as well as psychosocial and organizational factors play a role. This paper aims to identify telework-related risks and their impact on musculoskeletal health as well as provide recommendations that may be useful in constructing future preventive measures. A comprehensive literature search regarding the topic has been performed. Teleworkers experience musculoskeletal pain and discomfort mostly in low back area, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. Poor ergonomic solutions when it comes to workstation design resulting in prolonged sitting in non-neutral positions contribute to the development and aggravation of musculoskeletal disorders in teleworkers. Working with inadequately placed screens and laptops and sitting in maladjusted seats without usual functionalities and ergonomic support is associated with musculoskeletal pain and discomfort. Extended working hours with fewer rest periods to meet increased work demands, social isolation, and lack of support from work colleagues and superiors as well as blurred work-home boundaries and omnipresence of work are commonly stated psychosocial and organizational factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Environmental factors such as poor lighting and glare, inadequate room temperature, and ventilation or noise, are frequently overlooked remote workstation risk factors. For a certain part of workers, telework will remain a common way of work in the post-pandemic period. Therefore, it is essential to identify telework-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and address them with timely preventive measures tailored to each remote workstation's risks and individual workers' needs.

Changes in lifestyle, adiposity, and cardiometabolic markers among young adults in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on public health in several ways. The aim of the study was to investigate changes in lifestyle, adiposity, and cardiometabolic markers among young adults in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic and their determinants.

METHODS

The study included 1 004 participants from the population-based birth cohort BAMSE. Anthropometrics, body composition (bioelectric impedance analyses), pulse, and blood pressure were measured before (December 2016-May 2019; mean age 22.6 years) and during (October 2020-June 2021; mean age 25.7 years) the COVID-19 pandemic. Lifestyle changes during the pandemic were assessed through a questionnaire.

RESULTS

All measures of adiposity (weight, BMI, body fat percentage, trunk fat percentage) and cardiometabolic markers (blood pressure, pulse) increased during the study period (e.g., body fat percentage by a median of + 0.8% in females, p < 0.001, and + 1.5% in males, p < 0.001). Male sex, non-Scandinavian ethnicity, BMI status (underweight and obesity), and changes in lifestyle factors, e.g., decreased physical activity during the pandemic, were associated with higher increase in BMI and/or adiposity.

CONCLUSION

Lifestyle factors, adiposity and cardiometabolic markers may have been adversely affected among young adults in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the preceding years. Targeted public health measures to reduce obesity and improve healthy lifestyle are important to prevent future non-communicable diseases.

Work from home and the association with sedentary behaviors, leisure-time and domestic physical activity in the ELSA-Brasil study

BACKGROUND

Work from home (WFH) can impact workers´ sedentary behaviors and levels of physical activity. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between WFH and workers´ sedentary behaviors, leisure-time and domestic physical activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and verify whether age and sex may act as effect modifiers.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2544 participants in the supplementary study on COVID-19 in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) from July 2020 to February 2021. We assessed screen time (≤ 8 h/day versus > 8 h/day), accumulated sitting time (≤ 8 h/day versus > 8 h/day) as sedentary behaviors on a typical day, and leisure-time (active versus inactive, according to World Health Organization recommendations) and domestic (low versus high, according to median) physical activity, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), before and during social distancing. Logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS

Participants that were working from home during social distancing showed increased odds of screen time and sitting time greater than 8 h/day (OR = 3.12; 95%CI: 2.32-4.20 and OR = 2.68; 95%CI: 2.02-3.56, respectively) and higher odds of high domestic physical activity (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 0.99-1.67) when compared to those not working from home. There was no association between WFH and leisure-time physical activity (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.75,1.31). Age was an effect modifier in the association between WFH and leisure-time physical activity and domestic activity. Older people working from home showed higher odds of physical inactivity (OR = 1.84, 95%CI: 1.07,3.16) and high domestic physical activity (OR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.12,3.27) compared to older people not working from home.

CONCLUSION

WFH was associated with sedentary behavior > 8 h/day and high domestic physical activity. In the older people, WFH was associated with physical inactivity and high domestic physical activity. As sedentary behavior and physical inactivity are consistently negatively associated with health, it is important to discuss policies to manage WFH that allow pauses from physical activities and performance of hours of work within preestablished limits to reduce sedentary behavior. In addition, individuals working from home, especially the older people, should be encouraged to engage in leisure-time physical activity as a form of health promotion.

Physical activity pattern before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and association with contextual variables of the pandemic in adults and older adults in southern Brazil

Aim

To compare the physical activity pattern before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and verify the association with contextual, behavioral, and health variables related to the pandemic in adults and older adults from southern Brazil.

Subject and methods

This is a panel-type, population-based study in Rio Grande-RS and Criciúma-SC, with 4290 individuals. The physical activity pattern (dependent variable) was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-IPAQ. In addition, contextual, behavioral, and health aspects related to the pandemic (independent variables) were assessed by questionnaires. Fisher's exact test was used for bivariate analyses and Poisson regression with robust variance to calculate crude and adjusted prevalence, with their respective 95% confidence intervals.

Results

There was a 72% reduction in commuting physical activity and a 145% increase in physical inactivity when compared before and during the pandemic. Social distancing, excessive search for information about COVID-19, fear of the pandemic, and COVID-19 infection were all factors that contributed to the decline in physical activity during the pandemic. The home office was a protective factor for physical inactivity.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the pattern of physical activity in the general population, except for those who switched to working from home.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10389-022-01789-x.