Abstract:

Purpose: To assess physical activity (PA), perceived exercise benefits, perceived sleep quality, anxiety and depression levels of adults who exercised and did not exercise during the pandemic. Methods: 1226 voluntary participants who lived in the community (age range 18-55 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Demographic information was recorded, and exercise motivators and barriers were evaluated through questions prepared by the researchers. PA levels [International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)], perception about the benefits of exercise [Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale-Benefits Subscale (EBBS-BS)], sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], and anxiety and depression levels [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)] were assessed. Results: There were statistically significant differences in scores of IPAQ-SF, PSQI, EBBS-BS, and HADS between those who did and did not exercise (p<0.001). Fifty-two percent of the participants had low PA levels during the pandemic. It was found that the main motivating factor of exercise was to improve performance and/or strength (81.54%), and the main barrier was preferring to do other things (lack of motivation) (84.8%). Conclusion: Those with low PA levels have worse anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality. Knowing the motivators and barriers of PA can guide the determination of intervention and prevention strategies.

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