The Associations of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions With Longer-Term Activity Levels of Working Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Cohort Study.

Background: Lockdown restrictions reduce COVID-19 community transmission; however, they may pose challenges for noncommunicable 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: This study aims 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: A total of 11 participants (n=8 male; mean age 52.8, SD 5 years) in Melbourne, Australia had Fitbit activity tracked before (mean 122.7, SD 47.9 days) and during (mean 99.7, SD 62.5 days) citywide COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Regression models compared device (Fitbit Inspire HR)-derived activity (steps; metabolic equivalent tasks [METs]; mean time in sedentary, lightly, fairly, and very active minutes; and usual bout durations) during restrictions to prerestrictions. Changes in activity were statistically significant when estimates (Δ%) did not intercept zero.

Results: Overall, there was a decrease in mean steps (-1584 steps/day; Δ% -9%, 95% CI -11% to -7%); METs (-83 METs/day; Δ% -5%, 95% CI -6% to -5%); and lightly active (Δ% -4%, 95% CI -8% to -1%), fairly active (Δ% -8%, 95% CI -21% to -15%), and very active (Δ% -8%, 95% CI -11% to -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.

Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001159246; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12618001159246.