Factors associated with the implementation of physical activity among National Institute of Technology students during school closure due to COVID-19

Abstract

We examined the characteristics of students with high levels of physical activity during school closure due to the coronavirus pandemic and the factors related to performing physical activity. A total of 404 students, enrolled in Hachinohe National College of Technology, participated in the study. After data cleaning and processing, 345 responses were analyzed. Online classes were held between April 20 and June 5, 2020. A questionnaire was used to survey the lifestyle of students during this period. Additionally, a physical activity survey was conducted in the second week of June 2020, when face-to-face classes resumed. Among students who liked exercising, vigorous physical activity (VPA), moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and total physical activity in both male and female students and moderate physical activity in male students were significantly higher than that of students who disliked exercising. However, among students who were not afraid of coronavirus, only the VPA of females students was significantly higher than that of students who were afraid. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained by logistic regression analysis with the high MVPA group (MVPA ≥ 420 min/week) as the dependent variable and participants’ characteristics as independent variables. We found an association between high MVPA and belonging to an exercise club (OR: 1.85, CI: 1.06–3.22, p=0.030), liking exercise (OR: 4.14, CI: 1.83–9.38, p=0.001), frequently going out (OR: 3.24, CI: 1.74–6.03, p<0.001), and number of factors preventing people from going out (OR: 1.96, CI: 1.05–3.63, p=0.033).