Cell Phone Use, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Bodyweight During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study Original Research
Main Article Content
Keywords
COVID-19, Physical Activity Behavior, Smartphone
Abstract
Introduction: Cell phone use is associated with physical activity and sedentary behavior. These relationships have not been assessed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the potential effects of pandemic-related restrictions on cell phone use and the possible relationship of altered cell phone use to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and bodyweight.
Methods: Participants (N = 307) completed a survey assessing cell phone use, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and bodyweight before and after pandemic restrictions were implemented.
Results: Most participants reported increased cell phone use (χ2 = 61.50, p < 0.001). Participants increased sitting by 10 hours/week (F = 25.63, p < 0.001). Those that increased cell phone use reported greater increases in daily sitting (11.65 hours/week, F = 4.14, p = 0.04) than those that did not increase cell use (5.0 hours/week). There was also an increase (F = 10.08, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.04) in reported bodyweight regardless of cell phone use. Physical activity did not change (F ≤ 1.58, p ≥ 0.21).
Conclusions: During the pandemic individuals reported increased cell use, sedentary behavior, and bodyweight. Those that reported increased cell use reported greater increases in sitting than those not increasing cell use.
References
1. CDC. COVID-19 and Your Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published August 11, 2022. Accessed September 28, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
2. Barkley JE, Salvy SJ, Sanders GJ, Dey S, Von Carlowitz KP, Williamson ML. Peer Influence and Physical Activity Behavior in Young Children: An Experimental Study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2014;11(2):404-409. doi:10.1123/jpah.2011-0376
3. Eriksson U, Arvidsson D, Sundquist K. Availability of exercise facilities and physical activity in 2,037 adults: cross-sectional results from the Swedish neighborhood and physical activity (SNAP) study. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(1):607. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-607
4. Stearns JA, Godley J, Veugelers PJ, et al. Associations of friendship and children’s physical activity during and outside of school: A social network study. SSM Popul Health. 2018;7:100308. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.10.008
5. Alomari MA, Khabour OF, Alzoubi KH. Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Amid Confinement: The BKSQ-COVID-19 Project. RMHP. 2020;Volume 13:1757-1764. doi:10.2147/RMHP.S268320
6. Barkley JE, Lepp A, Glickman E, et al. The Acute Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in University Students and Employees. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020;13(5):1326-1339.
7. Bates L, Zieff G, Stanford K, et al. COVID-19 Impact on Behaviors across the 24-Hour Day in Children and Adolescents: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep. Children. 2020;7(9):138. doi:10.3390/children7090138
8. Dunton GF, Do B, Wang SD. Early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behavior in children living in the U.S. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1351. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09429-3
9. Almandoz JP, Xie L, Schellinger JN, et al. Impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on weight-related behaviours among patients with obesity. Clinical Obesity. 2020;10(5):e12386. doi:10.1111/cob.12386
10. Lin AL, Vittinghoff E, Olgin JE, Pletcher MJ, Marcus GM. Body Weight Changes During Pandemic-Related Shelter-in-Place in a Longitudinal Cohort Study. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(3):e212536. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2536
11. Pellegrini M, Ponzo V, Rosato R, et al. Changes in Weight and Nutritional Habits in Adults with Obesity during the “Lockdown” Period Caused by the COVID-19 Virus Emergency. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2016. doi:10.3390/nu12072016
12. Zachary Z, Brianna F, Brianna L, et al. Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. 2020;14(3):210-216. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2020.05.004
13. Lepp A, Barkley JE, Sanders GJ, Rebold M, Gates P. The relationship between cell phone use, physical and sedentary activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of U.S. college students. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013;10(1):79. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-79
14. Rebold MJ, Lepp A, Sanders GJ, Barkley JE. The Impact of Cell Phone Use on the Intensity and Liking of a Bout of Treadmill Exercise. PLOS ONE. 2015;10(5):e0125029. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125029
15. Gao G, Sai L. Towards a “virtual” world: Social isolation and struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic as single women living alone. Gend Work Organ. 2020;27(5):754-762. doi:10.1111/gwao.12468
16. Sañudo B, Fennell C, Sánchez-Oliver AJ. Objectively-Assessed Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Smartphone Use, and Sleep Patterns Pre- and during-COVID-19 Quarantine in Young Adults from Spain. Sustainability. 2020;12(15):5890. doi:10.3390/su12155890
17. Fennell C, Barkley JE, Lepp A. The relationship between cell phone use, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in adults aged 18–80. Computers in Human Behavior. 2019;90:53-59. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2018.08.044
18. Lepp A, Barkley JE. Cell phone use predicts being an “active couch potato”: results from a cross-sectional survey of sufficiently active college students. DIGITAL HEALTH. 2019;5:205520761984487. doi:10.1177/2055207619844870
19. Barkley JE, Lepp A, Glickman EL. “Pokémon Go!” May Promote Walking, Discourage Sedentary Behavior in College Students. Games for Health Journal. 2017;6(3):165-170. doi:10.1089/g4h.2017.0009
20. Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sj??Str??M M, et al. International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 12-Country Reliability and Validity: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2003;35(8):1381-1395. doi:10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB
21. van der Ploeg HP, Tudor-Locke C, Marshall AL, et al. Reliability and validity of the international physical activity questionnaire for assessing walking. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2010;81(1):97-101. doi:10.1080/02701367.2010.10599632
22. Ammar A, Mueller P, Trabelsi K, et al. Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study. PLoS One. 2020;15(11):e0240204. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0240204
23. Godin G, Shephard RJ. A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. Can J Appl Sport Sci. 1985;10(3):141-146.
24. Hodge JM, Shah R, McCullough ML, Gapstur SM, Patel AV. Validation of self-reported height and weight in a large, nationwide cohort of U.S. adults. PLOS ONE. 2020;15(4):e0231229. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231229
25. Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Salmon J, Shaw JE, Zimmet PZ, Owen N. Television Time and Continuous Metabolic Risk in Physically Active Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2008;40(4):639-645. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181607421
26. Barkley JE, Farnell G, Boyko B, Turner B, Wiet R. Impact of Activity Monitoring on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Body Weight during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(14):7518. doi:10.3390/ijerph18147518
27. Meyer J, McDowell C, Lansing J, et al. Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Response to COVID-19 and Their Associations with Mental Health in 3052 US Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(18):6469. doi:10.3390/ijerph17186469
28. Carter SJ, Baranauskas MN, Fly AD. Considerations for Obesity, Vitamin D, and Physical Activity Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020;28(7):1176-1177. doi:10.1002/oby.22838
29. Owen N, Healy GN, Matthews CE, Dunstan DW. Too Much Sitting: The Population Health Science of Sedentary Behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. 2010;38(3):105-113. doi:10.1097/JES.0b013e3181e373a2
2. Barkley JE, Salvy SJ, Sanders GJ, Dey S, Von Carlowitz KP, Williamson ML. Peer Influence and Physical Activity Behavior in Young Children: An Experimental Study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2014;11(2):404-409. doi:10.1123/jpah.2011-0376
3. Eriksson U, Arvidsson D, Sundquist K. Availability of exercise facilities and physical activity in 2,037 adults: cross-sectional results from the Swedish neighborhood and physical activity (SNAP) study. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(1):607. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-607
4. Stearns JA, Godley J, Veugelers PJ, et al. Associations of friendship and children’s physical activity during and outside of school: A social network study. SSM Popul Health. 2018;7:100308. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.10.008
5. Alomari MA, Khabour OF, Alzoubi KH. Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Amid Confinement: The BKSQ-COVID-19 Project. RMHP. 2020;Volume 13:1757-1764. doi:10.2147/RMHP.S268320
6. Barkley JE, Lepp A, Glickman E, et al. The Acute Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in University Students and Employees. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020;13(5):1326-1339.
7. Bates L, Zieff G, Stanford K, et al. COVID-19 Impact on Behaviors across the 24-Hour Day in Children and Adolescents: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep. Children. 2020;7(9):138. doi:10.3390/children7090138
8. Dunton GF, Do B, Wang SD. Early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behavior in children living in the U.S. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1351. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09429-3
9. Almandoz JP, Xie L, Schellinger JN, et al. Impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on weight-related behaviours among patients with obesity. Clinical Obesity. 2020;10(5):e12386. doi:10.1111/cob.12386
10. Lin AL, Vittinghoff E, Olgin JE, Pletcher MJ, Marcus GM. Body Weight Changes During Pandemic-Related Shelter-in-Place in a Longitudinal Cohort Study. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(3):e212536. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2536
11. Pellegrini M, Ponzo V, Rosato R, et al. Changes in Weight and Nutritional Habits in Adults with Obesity during the “Lockdown” Period Caused by the COVID-19 Virus Emergency. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2016. doi:10.3390/nu12072016
12. Zachary Z, Brianna F, Brianna L, et al. Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. 2020;14(3):210-216. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2020.05.004
13. Lepp A, Barkley JE, Sanders GJ, Rebold M, Gates P. The relationship between cell phone use, physical and sedentary activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of U.S. college students. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013;10(1):79. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-79
14. Rebold MJ, Lepp A, Sanders GJ, Barkley JE. The Impact of Cell Phone Use on the Intensity and Liking of a Bout of Treadmill Exercise. PLOS ONE. 2015;10(5):e0125029. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125029
15. Gao G, Sai L. Towards a “virtual” world: Social isolation and struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic as single women living alone. Gend Work Organ. 2020;27(5):754-762. doi:10.1111/gwao.12468
16. Sañudo B, Fennell C, Sánchez-Oliver AJ. Objectively-Assessed Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Smartphone Use, and Sleep Patterns Pre- and during-COVID-19 Quarantine in Young Adults from Spain. Sustainability. 2020;12(15):5890. doi:10.3390/su12155890
17. Fennell C, Barkley JE, Lepp A. The relationship between cell phone use, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in adults aged 18–80. Computers in Human Behavior. 2019;90:53-59. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2018.08.044
18. Lepp A, Barkley JE. Cell phone use predicts being an “active couch potato”: results from a cross-sectional survey of sufficiently active college students. DIGITAL HEALTH. 2019;5:205520761984487. doi:10.1177/2055207619844870
19. Barkley JE, Lepp A, Glickman EL. “Pokémon Go!” May Promote Walking, Discourage Sedentary Behavior in College Students. Games for Health Journal. 2017;6(3):165-170. doi:10.1089/g4h.2017.0009
20. Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sj??Str??M M, et al. International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 12-Country Reliability and Validity: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2003;35(8):1381-1395. doi:10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB
21. van der Ploeg HP, Tudor-Locke C, Marshall AL, et al. Reliability and validity of the international physical activity questionnaire for assessing walking. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2010;81(1):97-101. doi:10.1080/02701367.2010.10599632
22. Ammar A, Mueller P, Trabelsi K, et al. Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study. PLoS One. 2020;15(11):e0240204. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0240204
23. Godin G, Shephard RJ. A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. Can J Appl Sport Sci. 1985;10(3):141-146.
24. Hodge JM, Shah R, McCullough ML, Gapstur SM, Patel AV. Validation of self-reported height and weight in a large, nationwide cohort of U.S. adults. PLOS ONE. 2020;15(4):e0231229. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231229
25. Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Salmon J, Shaw JE, Zimmet PZ, Owen N. Television Time and Continuous Metabolic Risk in Physically Active Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2008;40(4):639-645. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181607421
26. Barkley JE, Farnell G, Boyko B, Turner B, Wiet R. Impact of Activity Monitoring on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Body Weight during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(14):7518. doi:10.3390/ijerph18147518
27. Meyer J, McDowell C, Lansing J, et al. Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Response to COVID-19 and Their Associations with Mental Health in 3052 US Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(18):6469. doi:10.3390/ijerph17186469
28. Carter SJ, Baranauskas MN, Fly AD. Considerations for Obesity, Vitamin D, and Physical Activity Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020;28(7):1176-1177. doi:10.1002/oby.22838
29. Owen N, Healy GN, Matthews CE, Dunstan DW. Too Much Sitting: The Population Health Science of Sedentary Behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. 2010;38(3):105-113. doi:10.1097/JES.0b013e3181e373a2
Article Sidebar
Published
Jan 2, 2023
Article Details
How to Cite
Cell Phone Use, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Bodyweight During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study: Original Research. (2023). Research Directs in Psychology and Behavior, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.53520/rdpb2023.10752
Issue
Section
Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright, 2024 by the authors. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.