JMIR Diabetes. 2022 Apr 20. doi: 10.2196/36181. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lockdown restrictions reduce COVID-19 community transmission; however, they may pose challenges for non-communicable disease management. A 112-day hard lockdown in Victoria, Australia (commencing March 23, 2020), coincided with an intervention trial of reducing and breaking up sitting time in desk workers with type 2 diabetes who were using a provided consumer grade activity tracker (Fitbit).
OBJECTIVE: To compare continuously recorded activity levels preceding and during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions among working adults with type 2 diabetes participating in a sitting less and moving more intervention.
METHODS: Eleven participants (8/11 male; mean [SD] age 52.8 [5.0] years) in Melbourne, Australia had Fitbit activity tracked before (mean [SD]: 122.7 [47.9] days) and during (99.7 [62.5] days) city-wide COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Regression models compared device (Fitbit Inspire HR)-derived activity (steps; METs [metabolic equivalents], mean time in sedentary, lightly, fairly, and very active minutes, and usual bout durations) during restrictions, to pre-restriction. Changes in activity were statistically significant when estimates (Δ%) did not intercept zero.
RESULTS: Overall, there was a decrease in mean: steps (-1,584 steps/day; Δ% : 9%; 95%CI: -11, -7); METs (-83 METs/day; Δ% : -5%; 95%CI: -6, -5); and, lightly active (Δ% : -4%; 95%CI: -8, -1), fairly active (Δ% : -8%; 95%CI: -21, -15), and very active (Δ% : -8%; 95%CI: -11, -5) intensity minutes per day, and increases in mean sedentary minutes per day (+51 mins/day; Δ% : +3%; 95%CI: 1, 6). Only very active (+5.1 mins) and sedentary (+4.3 mins) bout durations changed significantly.
CONCLUSIONS: In a convenience sample of adults with type 2 diabetes, COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were associated with decreases in overall activity levels and increases in very active and sedentary bout durations. A Fitbit monitor provided meaningful continuous long-term data in this context.
CLINICALTRIAL: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ANZCTRN12618001159246.
PMID:35486904 | DOI:10.2196/36181
