Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 118, Issue 9, Pages -Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016632118
Keywords
COVID-19; mental health; lifestyle disruptions; physical activity
Categories
Funding
- J -PAL North America
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The study found that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions to various aspects of young adults' lives, including physical activity and mental health. Disruption to physical activity is identified as a leading risk factor for increased depression risk during the pandemic.
Using a longitudinal dataset linking biometric and survey data from several cohorts of young adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 682), we document large disruptions to physical activity, sleep, time use, and mental health. At the onset of the pandemic, average steps decline from 10,000 to 4,600 steps per day, sleep increases by 25 to 30 min per night, time spent socializing declines by over half to less than 30 min, and screen time more than doubles to over 5 h per day. Over the course of the pandemic from March to July 2020 the proportion of participants at risk for clinical depression ranges from 46% to 61%, up to a 90% increase in depression rates compared to the same population just prior to the pandemic. Our analyses suggest that disruption to physical activity is a leading risk factor for depression during the pandemic. However, restoration of those habits through a short-term intervention does not meaningfully improve mental well-being.
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