Assessment of physical activity and quality of life of students in the day of COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity is one of the intrinsic elements of human life. Systematic exercise is an important factor in preventing heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Lack of exercise increases the risk of non-communicable disease (NCD) and death worldwide. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the problem of the lack of adequate amounts of physical exertion, especially among students. With the introduction of distance learning, they were forced to change their lifestyle, and the physical activity that they had undertaken so far has, in most cases, been reduced or stopped altogether.

Aim: In our study, we aimed to find out how students evaluate the quality of life and what actions they take for health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material and methods: The study was conducted using the Google online form on student groups and websites using the proprietary survey and the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. The study group consisted of 162 people (107 women and 55 men). The respondents ranged in age from 19 to 25 years old.

Results: The study showed that as many as 77.8% of students undertook various forms of physical activity before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the dangers and restrictions related to the coronavirus, as well as the decrease in mood resulting from this situation, forced nearly half of the students participating in the study to change their forms of physical activity. In most cases, restrictions on access to various forms of recreation discouraged the respondents from engaging in it. As many as 70.4% of the respondents stated that they had experienced health and emotional problems. In most cases, it influenced the performance of daily tasks, contacts with family, friends, neighbors or other social groups.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a significant number of students to modify their lifestyle, which has resulted in the reduction or abandonment of physical exercise. The research confirmed the relationship between physical activity and the sense of quality of life.