EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON AMATEUR FOOTBALL: PERSPECTIVE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NUTRITION, AND MOOD

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between physical activity, mood and nutrition of amateur football players and the differences in mood and nutritional variables depending on their physical activity status. 286 amateur league footballers whose leagues were suspended due to the pandemic participated in the study. Brunel Mood Scale was used to determine the mood of the athletes, the International Physical Activity Scale was used to determine the physical activity levels, and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire was used to evaluate the nutritional status. After testing the normality of the distribution, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used for correlational analysis. Kruskal Wallis H test was used to evaluate mood and nutrition according to physical activity groups, and the Mann Whitney U test was used in paired groups to determine the source of the difference. When the fatigue and vigor scores of the inactive and minimally active players were examined, it was seen that the difference between them was statistically significant in favor of the football players included in the minimally active group. When the results of the nutrition variables were examined, it was seen that the difference between the variables of emotional eating, cognitive restraint and susceptibility to hunger was in favor of the minimally active group. In all mood variables according to the physical activity levels of Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) active and inactive football players, all of the statistically significant differences observed in all nutritional variables except uncontrolled eating were in favor of the HEPA active group (p <.05). All of the statistically significant differences observed in all mood variables according to the physical activity levels of minimally active and HEPA active football players were in favor of the HEPA active group (p <.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the nutritional variables of minimally active and HEPA active football players (p>.05). The results of this research showed that maintaining regular physical activity was an important preventive strategy for mental health and nutrition during the mandatory isolation period, such as the current coronavirus pandemic.