The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Quality of Life Among Ukrainian Students

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose serious challenges to society. Strategies such as social distancing are employed to reduce its spread; however, this can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. Many people report difficulties in maintaining a healthy level of physical activity during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine the levels of physical activity and quality of life among Ukrainian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A diagnostic questionnaire was used, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ) were employed to assess participants' physical activity levels. The study involved 662 students from three Ukrainian universities. A significant decrease in physical activity and an increase in sleep duration were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the main advantages of this study was the use of both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The study also allowed for the evaluation of two types of behavior: physical activity and sleep. The conclusions. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, physical activity was low in 90% of students, amounting to 791±7.3 MET, with a significant amount of time (8.6±1.2 hours) spent on sleep, while less than half of the participants (40.2%) met the recommended physical activity guidelines.