How often do you say you’re going to work-out and then don’t? You are not alone.

During lockdown, Sport England¹ monitored physical activity and concluded that one third of adults were achieving 30 minutes of exercise on 5 or more days a week. However, the wider impact of coronavirus on physical activity has been shown to have a more negative effect on the capability, opportunity and motivation of some groups including women, the elderly and some people in the BAME community¹. Lack of motivation has been further noted as a barrier to exercise in a focus group in adolescence².

Authors: Georgina Hardy, Emilia Fish, Jade Mottley

References:

1. https://www.sportengland.org/know-your-audience/demographic-knowledge/coronavirus?section=the_story_so_far#page

2. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12889-020-08740-3.pdf

3. http://perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org/content/8/7/a029694.short

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7031771/

5. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08830185.2019.1682569?casa_token=9v0IamWOcWkAAAAA%3AtxgTt7gQy1jx_c_MQvEoTN7rnaCJYn6CAapXds_GWTvM0hJDOwMbkmxaZhb51tMxSNu4Tzpm_zLqLTw

6. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10522-016-9642-z

7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395616300383

8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2020.00057/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field&journalName=Frontiers_in_Sports_and_Active_Living&id=549731&fbclid=IwAR3YzNL-RTZsEkWKkjVY5HTvk4u9u4CCryGBMPPzRfFsejHLc8G_tXTeLSY

9. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832868/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines.pdf

10. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/get-active-your-way/

11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1612197X.2009.9671894

12. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/gym-free-exercises/

13. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-38358-001

14. https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/34/2/217/924953

15. https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/keeping-active/getting-started/keeping-motivated

16. https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/activities

17. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/dance-for-fitness/

18. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23750472.2020.1757494?scroll=top&needAccess=true& 

19. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/

20. https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/hydration

21. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-home#:~:text=You%20must%20wear%20a%20face,as%20a%20visitor%20or%20outpatient.&text=If%20you%20can%2C%20you%20should,you%20do%20not%20normally%20meet.