Initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behavior in hypertensive older adults: An accelerometer-based analysis

Background This study reports the accelerometer-based physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in hypertensive older adults Methods Thirty-five hypertensive older adults were included in this observational study Accelerometer-based PA and SB measures were assessed before (January to March 2020) and during (June 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic Linear mixed models were used to assess within-group changes in PA and SB measures, adjusted by accelerometer wear time Results Before COVID-19 pandemic participants presented: 5809 steps/day (SE = 366), 303 1 min/day (SE = 11 9) of light PA, 15 5 min/day (SE = 2 2) of moderate-vigorous PA, and 653 0 min/day (SE = 12 6) of SB During COVID-19 pandemic there was a decrease in steps/day (β = −886 steps/day, SE = 361, p = 0 018), in moderate-vigorous PA (β = −2 8 min/day, SE = 2 4, p = 0 018), and a trend in light PA (β = −26 6 min/day, SE = 13 4, p = 0 053) In addition, SB increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (β = 29 6 min/day, SE = 13 4, p = 0 032) The magnitude of changes was greater on the weekend, mainly for steps/day (β = −1739 steps/day, SE = 424, p < 0 001) and the SB pattern (more time spent in bouts of ≥10 and 30 min, less breaks/day and breaks/h) Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic may elicit unhealthy changes in movement behavior in hypertensive older adults Lower PA, higher and more prolonged SB on the weekend are the main features of the behavioral changes