Physical activity reduces risks of severe COVID-19 outcomes: study

Moderate physical activity in adults is associated with significant protective effects from severe COVID-19 outcomes, a new international study shows. The study, led by the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, along with researchers at Western University, found adults with high and moderate physical activity levels had significantly better outcomes than those with low activity levels when contracting COVID-19. "Findings from this study - from a low-resource setting, such as South Africa - reiterate the public health importance of healthy lifestyles, including regular physical activity, to mitigate the negative health impact of the current pandemic," said Dr. Saverio Stranges, professor and chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. Researchers measured physical activity data from more than 65,000 adult patients with COVID-19 from March 19, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Participants were grouped by activity level - low, moderate and high - with low representing fewer than 60 minutes per week; moderate, which included those who were active 60 to 149 minutes per week; and high, which reflected more than 150 minutes of activity. Adults with high and moderate physical activity levels were associated with lower rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, ventilation and death, compared to those with lower physical activity. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine , also showed the apparent protective effects of physical activity extend to those with chronic medical conditions.