What Kinds Of Physical Activities Have Suffered In Fiji Due To The COVID-19 Outbreak?: An Analysis Of Primary School Teacher’s

Abstract

People who are already at a higher risk of hospitalization or severe illness due to COVID-19, such as those with illnesses like obesity and diabetes, are often offered medication in the form of physical activities. However, many individuals report finding it difficult to maintain their usual level of physical activity in the face of the epidemic. The purpose of this research was to investigate changes in physical activity (PA) and well-being to determine how the closure crisis affected exercise habits by comparing the exercise habits of primary school teachers in Western Fiji before and after the lockdown. The researchers used a mixed methods approach to collect data from 217 primary school teachers in the Western Division of Fiji. The data was analysed using SPSS version 27. The findings showed decreased aerobic workouts and fitness exercises during the lockdown. Moreover, it showed increased household chores and indoor games during the lockdown. Moreover, the study indicated that more than 50 per cent of the participants did less than 30 minutes of physical activity during the lockdown. When comparing genders, males had a higher mean for physical activity motivation than females. The teachers' location made a significant difference in confidence in undertaking physical activity, and the skills teachers had for doing the physical activity. Public health professionals are concerned about the health effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. Staying at home encourages sedentary habits, which have the unintended consequence of harming health. Health organizations should look for ways to stimulate physical activity and minimize the burden of future comorbidities developing because of a sedentary lifestyle, such as digital remote media training. Sedentary behaviours may raise the likelihood of health problems or worsen existing health problems.