• Change in cardiorespiratory fitness was not associated with change in anxiety symptoms • Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with less depression in men during lockdown restrictions • Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with less depression in women and men after restrictions were lifted We investigated changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression during and after the COVID-19 lockdown in Norway, and if the time-varying effect of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was associated with changes in these symptoms among physically active women and men. Members of a sports organization participated in a seven-wave study and reported degree of physical activity and symptoms approximately every six months from June 2020 to September 2023. We used a validated algorithm to estimate CRF. Latent growth curves were estimated to study the time-varying effect of CRF on change in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Piecewise growth models with separate slopes were estimated for the period during lockdown (time point TP 1-4) and after the lifting of restrictions (TP 5-7). Separate models were tested for women and men. Anxiety symptoms were elevated during the lockdown and remained stable after the lockdown restrictions were lifted. The association between CRF and anxiety symptoms was not significant. Depression symptoms were elevated during the lockdown and decreased after the restrictions ended. There was no association between CRF and depression for women during the COVID-19 lockdown, but after restrictions were lifted, higher CRF was related to lower symptom level. For men, higher CRF was associated with less depression both during and after the COVID-19 lockdown, with a stronger effect after the pandemic. Higher CRF was associated with less depression symptoms in men during the lockdown restrictions and in both women and men after the lockdown for physically active adults. The observed sex differences during the lockdown are discussed.
Havnen et al. (Sun,) studied this question.