Background: Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on health behaviours and lifestyles at home is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020, in seven languages, to elucidate the behavioural and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the results from the first thousand responders on physical activity (PA) and nutrition behaviours. Methods: Following a structured review of the literature, the “Effects of home Confinement on multiple Lifestyle Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak (ECLB-COVID19)” Electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists and academics. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. Thirty-five research organisations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the survey in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Slovenian languages. Questions were presented in a differential format, with questions related to responses “before” and “during” confinement conditions. Results: 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%) were included in the analysis. The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on all PA intensity levels (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall). Additionally, daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 h per day. Food consumption and meal patterns (the type of food, eating out of control, snacks between meals, number of main meals) were more unhealthy during confinement, with only alcohol binge drinking decreasing significantly. Conclusion: While isolation is a necessary measure to protect public health, results indicate that it alters physical activity and eating behaviours in a health compromising direction. A more detailed analysis of survey data will allow for a segregation of these responses in different age groups, countries and other subgroups, which will help develop interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviours that have manifested during the COVID-19 confinement.

Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the new coronavirusdisease (COVID-19) pandemic have enforced numerous restrictions on daily living including socialdistancing, isolation, and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to mitigatespreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on psychosocial health is undefined. Therefore,an international online survey was launched in April 2020 to elucidate the behavioral and lifestyleconsequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the preliminary results from more thanone thousand responders on social participation and life satisfaction. Methods: Thirty-five researchorganizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia, and the Americas promoted the surveythrough their networks to the general society, in 7 languages (English, German, French, Arabic,Spanish, Portuguese, and Slovenian). Questions were presented in a differential format with questionsrelated to responses “before” and “during” confinement conditions. Results: 1047 participations(54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%), and others (3%) were included in theanalysis. Findings revealed psychosocial strain during the enforced COVID-19 home confinement.Large decreases (p<0.001) in the amount of social activity through family (−58%), friends/neighbors(−44.9%), or entertainment (−46.7%) were triggered by the enforced confinement. These negativeeffects on social participation were also associated with lower life satisfaction (−30.5%) during theconfinement period. Conversely, the social contact score through digital technologies significantlyincreased (p<0.001) during the confinement period with more individuals (+24.8%) being sociallyconnected through digital technology. Conclusion: These preliminary findings elucidate the riskof psychosocial strain during the early COVID-19 home confinement period in 2020. Therefore,in order to mitigate the negative psychosocial effects of home confinement, implementation ofnational strategies focused on promoting social inclusion through a technology-based solution isstrongly suggested.

Although recognised as effective measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, social distancing and self-isolation have been suggested to generate a burden throughout the population. To provide scientific data to help identify risk factors for the psychosocial strain during the COVID-19...

Background: Public health recommendations and government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced restrictions on daily-living. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey (ECLB-COVID19) was launched on April 6, 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing. Methods: The ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online-survey-platform and was promoted by thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western-Asia and the Americas. All participants were asked for their mental wellbeing (SWEMWS) and depressive symptoms (SMFQ) with regard to “during” and “before” home confinement. Results: Analysis was conducted on the first 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%). The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on both mental-wellbeing and on mood and feelings. Specifically, a significant decrease (p < .001 and Δ% = 9.4%) in total score of the SWEMWS questionnaire was noted. More individuals (+12.89%) reported a low mental wellbeing “during” compared to “before” home confinement. Furthermore, results from the mood and feelings questionnaire showed a significant increase by 44.9% (p < .001) in SMFQ total score with more people (+10%) showing depressive symptoms “during” compared to “before” home confinement. Conclusion: The ECLB-COVID19 survey revealed an increased psychosocial strain triggered by the home confinement. To mitigate this high risk of mental disorders and to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle (AHCL), a crisis-oriented interdisciplinary intervention is urgently needed.

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented public health concern worldwide. Characterised by a rapid and high frequency of human-to-human transmission, the World Health Organisation has recommended the implementation of public health measures, such as isolation of all individuals suspected of infection with this disease for a 14-day quarantine period, while governments have introduced "social distancing" and "lock-downs" of entire populations of varying severity to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Recent studies about COVID-19 have further suggested there are significant sleep problems and psychological disorders (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) associated with the reduction of movement and activities, plus the reduction of normal social interaction. There has been no study examining the effect of being physically active at home during such periods of isolation. However, based on studies of other diseases and pathologies, potentially useful tactics to overcome these negative effects may include home-based exercise, exergaming, dancing to music and participation in yoga.

Diminished volumes of habitual physical activity and increased sedentary levels have been observed as a result of COVID-19 home-confinement. Consequences of inactivity, including a higher mortality rate and poorer general health and fitness, have been reported. This systematic review aimed to provide practical recommendations for maintaining active lifestyles during pandemics. In May 2020, two electronic databases (PubMed; Web of Science) were used to search for relevant studies. A total of 1206 records were screened by two researchers. Thirty-one relevant studies were included in this systematic review, in which the methodological quality was assessed. With regard to six studies, which explicitly dealt with physical activity during COVID-19, the evidence level is classified by three articles to level II, and in the other three to level VI. Regarding the physical activity recommendations in these papers, three of them were classified to a medium, and the same number to a weak evidence base. Of the 25 papers which refer to other pandemics and/or isolation situations, one was classified to evidence level I, four were ranged to level II, three to level III, one to level V, and the others to level VI. This systematic review revealed that reduced physical activity levels are of serious concern during home confinement in pandemic times. The recommendations provided by many international organizations to maintain active lifestyles during these times mainly target the general population, with less consideration for vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, people with health issues). Therefore, personalized and supervised physical activity programs are urgently needed, with the option to group-play physical activity programs (e.g., exergames). These can be assisted, delivered, and disseminated worldwide through information and communication technology solutions. If it is permitted and safe, being active outside in daylight is advised, with an effort level of mild to moderate using the rating of perceived exertion scale. Relaxation techniques should be integrated into the daily routine to reduce stress levels. On the evidence base and levels of the included articles in this review, the results need to be interpreted with caution. Given that policies are different across regions and countries, further research is needed to categorize recommendations according to different social-distancing scenarios.