Background: The COVID-19 restrictions curtailed various physical activities whose effects are unfortunate because daily exercise may help combat the disease by boosting our immune systems and counteracting some of the co-morbidities that make us more susceptible to severe COVID-19 illness. Objectives: To study the physical activity behaviour, levels and its relationship with personal variables during COVID-19 lockdown, and to explore the differences between the inactive and active group respondents in terms of physical activity preferences, motivating and restricting factors. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional descriptive online survey (Google forms) design was used and snowball sampling method was used to reach the respondents. Questionnaire consisted of four parts; 1) Demographics, 2) Occupation, Screen and Sleep behaviour, 3) Physical Activity behaviour, 4) Preferred physical activities, restricting and motivating factors to do any physical activity. To study the TPA OPA, MV-LTPA and HHPA were considered. Results and Discussion: A total of 400 respondents (male 56.2, female 43.2%)) were eligible for the analysis, majority (93.6%) of them were young adults (18-38) involved in sedentary to light occupation (95.3%).Sedentary behavior in occupation was doubled (80%) as compared to pre-COVID situation (42.5%). Majority of the respondents reported an increase in screen and sleep time. On calculating TPA ~33% of the respondents were found in each group; inactive, active and very active. Majority of them were performing pa for <150m/w in each domain i.e. OPA, MV-LTPA and HHPA. Significant difference was found between male and female, of all the three domains, in their physical activity group whereas no significant difference was found in their TPA group. Significant association was found between physical activity groups in terms of considering physical activity benefits, change in post COVID physical activity, and their self reported type of physical activity. Significant association was found between male and female respondents in terms of their BMI and perceived Body weight whereas no association was found between physical activity groups in terms of their BMI and body weight perception. Family/friends and health benefits were the most motivating factors for the majority of respondents whereas social distancing norms and lack of motivation were reported as restricting factors in doing physical activity. Conclusion: It can be concluded that physical activity among people was low even before the COVID-19 pandemic, this pandemic acted as a catalyst in promoting sedentary behavior.
