Prática de exercício e comportamento sedentário de professores atuantes no Brasil: antes e durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: Social distancing adopted during Covid-19 pandemic abruptly changed Brazilian teachers professional and personal life. Since these changes can influence physical activity and exercise habits and these habits are related to non-communicable chronic diseases, it is necessary to research on the subject. Objectives: Evaluate and compare habits regarding exercise practice and sedentary behaviors of teachers working in Brazil, before and during Covid-19 pandemic. Relate possible changes to gender. Identify barriers and facilitators to exercise practice. Methods: Descriptive survey-type research, prevalently quantitative. The sample consisted of 696 teachers working in Brazil, invited to participate in the study via social networks, email, messaging applications and virtual groups. Before application, the questionnaire was submitted to content validation, through seven expert judges evaluation; and to reliability validation by test-retest method. Then, the instrument was updated and administered for 45 days, virtually through Google Forms platform. For statistical treatment, Content Validity Index (IVQ) and Percentage of Agreement (PC) were used to validate instrument's content, and Kappa Coefficient (CK) to verify its reliability. For quantitative variables, Mann-Whitney was used and Cohen D to calculate the effect size. For qualitative variables, Fisher's exact, McNemar and Chi-square were used, as appropriate, and Kraemer's V coefficient to calculate effect size. Data were processed using SPSS version 20 software, adopting p<0.05. Results: CVI close to 1, PC close to 100%, and Kappa coefficient 0.803 were found. There was a significant difference in the physical activity before and during the pandemic, with an increase of hours lying without sleeping (p=0.002) and reduction in activities: walking to work (p<0.001), during work (p<0.001 ), walking for 10 continuous minutes (p=0.033), standing up to work (p<0.001) and carrying work materials (p<0.001). Domestic and family commitments became a more frequent barrier to exercise (p=0.001); while tiredness became a less frequent one (p=0.039). Free time available was pointed out as a facilitator for exercising more frequently during the pandemic (p=0.001). In sexes comparison, there were more sedentary women than men before pandemic (p<0.001), but this difference decreased and became non-significant. During pandemic, domestic and family responsibilities represented a barrier to exercising more frequently for women than for men (p=0.012). Having free time was pointed out as a facilitator more often by men than by women (p=0.021). Conclusion: Teachers working in Brazil physical activity decreased during the pandemic. Family and domestic commitments has become a more frequent barrier to exercise. Work-related responsibilities such as research and planning remain a barrier to exercise. Women suffered more impact from family and domestic responsibilities on exercise practice than men. Men reported more free time as a facilitator for the practice of exercises than women.