Demographic predictors of exercise during a COVID-19 lockdown in three Ghanaian cities.

Abstract

Background: This study assessed behavioral and demographic correlates of exercise during a COVID-19 lockdown in three cities. A cross-sectional design was employed. An online survey was used to collect data from residents of three Ghanaian cities, namely Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale. Methods: A total of 621 residents participated in the study. Most of the participants had tertiary educational qualifications and were aged 18 to 54 years. A binary logistic regression was used to present findings. Results: The results indicate that unemployed participants were about 13 times more likely to exercise than those who were employed. Individuals aged 25 to 30 years were about 0.7 times less likely to exercise compared with those aged 18 to 24 years. Participants with one or more chronic diseases were about 19 times more likely to exercise compared with those without a chronic condition. Residents who reported a reduction in moderate physical activity time of between 30 to 60 minutes were less likely to exercise compared with those who did not. Conclusion: The study concludes that the behavioral and demographic correlates of exercise during the lockdown are age, chronic disease status, employment, physical activity time lost, smoking, and domestic violence experience.