Age, Sex, and Regional Differences in the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Objective Physical Activity in Japan: A 2-Year Nationwide Longitudinal Study

A lthough more than a year has passed since the first detection of coronavirus disease in Wuhan, China, it remains pandemic. Many governments have advocated for social distancing measures with varying degrees of enforcement, ranging from unforced recommendations to business closures and city lockdowns. This induced sudden and fundamental changes in the lifestyles of populations. A study of the daily step counts from January 19 to June 1, 2020, measured using smartphones, found that step count decreased from March to the end of May 2020 worldwide (1). Online surveys using International Physical Activity Questionnaire shows physical activity deceased in April 2020 and recovered in June 2020 (2, 3). Because physical activity and daily step counts are determinants of health (4), they should be monitored and explored in depth. Physical activity varies considerably according to gender, age group, region, and season; therefore, data on physical activity before the COVID-19 pandemic are needed for reference. .