Canadians who led active lifestyles pre-COVID were able to ramp back up to healthy levels of moderate/vigorous activity shortly after the stay-at-home protocols were put in place, according to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology.

But researchers observed a “significant and sustained decline” in levels of incidental Light Physical Activity (LPA) during the same time period.

“Attenuating the loss of incidental physical activity should be a public health priority in response to future pandemics or a second wave of a COVID-19 infection, as it may have significant long-term implications for the physical and mental health of Canadians.”

Why It Matters

Canadians are surely not alone among the global community when it comes to reduced LPA due to stay-at-home protocols. It’s a global issue that only exacerbates the existing crisis of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. With the pandemic expected to last several more months, public health and medical officials should be closely watching for a connection between reduced LPA and an overall decline in physical and mental health.

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