IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i14p7677-d591328.html

Online Exercise Classes during the COVID-19 Related Lockdown in Germany: Use and Attitudes

Author

Listed:
  • Eszter Füzéki

    (Division of Preventive and Sports Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
    Contributed equally.)

  • Jan Schröder

    (Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty for Psychology and Human Movement Science, Institute for Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Turmweg 2, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
    Contributed equally.)

  • David A. Groneberg

    (Division of Preventive and Sports Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany)

  • Winfried Banzer

    (Division of Preventive and Sports Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany)

Abstract

Lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to reductions in physical activity (PA) worldwide. Leading public health organizations have recommended the use of online exercise classes (OEC) to compensate the loss of regular exercise classes. As of now, no data are available on the uptake of OEC and on users’ attitudes. The aim of the current online survey was to assess the use of and attitudes towards OEC in Germany. Respondents indicated awareness and use of OEC, and levels of agreement with statements on OEC. Frequency of awareness and use of OEC according to PA status were calculated with contingency tables and the Χ 2 test. Differences between users and non-users were tested with the Student’s t -test and the Mann–Whitney U test. Data on attitudes are presented as percentages, and Spearman correlations were calculated between attitudes and activity status, frequency of use, educational attainment, age and body mass index. A total of 979 datasets were analyzed. Of the respondents, 681 were aware of OEC and 180, 118 and 84 used them <1 per week, 1–2 per week and ≥3 per week, respectively. Significantly more active respondents were aware of and used OEC compared to less active respondents. All in all, regular OEC use was quite limited. OEC was differentially attractive to people according to PA status, frequency of use, BMI and age. Tailoring OEC to current non-users and adding motivational support might enhance the regular use of OEC.

Suggested Citation

  • Eszter Füzéki & Jan Schröder & David A. Groneberg & Winfried Banzer, 2021. "Online Exercise Classes during the COVID-19 Related Lockdown in Germany: Use and Attitudes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7677-:d:591328
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7677/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7677/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Hale & Noam Angrist & Rafael Goldszmidt & Beatriz Kira & Anna Petherick & Toby Phillips & Samuel Webster & Emily Cameron-Blake & Laura Hallas & Saptarshi Majumdar & Helen Tatlow, 2021. "A global panel database of pandemic policies (Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker)," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(4), pages 529-538, April.
    2. Eszter Füzéki & Jan Schröder & David A. Groneberg & Winfried Banzer, 2021. "Physical Activity and Its Related Factors during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Devereux-Fitzgerald, Angela & Powell, Rachael & Dewhurst, Anne & French, David P., 2016. "The acceptability of physical activity interventions to older adults: A systematic review and meta-synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 14-23.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Temesvary, Judit & Wei, Andrew, 2024. "Domestic lending and the pandemic: How does banks’ exposure to COVID-19 abroad affect their lending in the United States?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Jacqueline Ruth & Steffen Willwacher & Oliver Korn, 2022. "Acceptance of Digital Sports: A Study Showing the Rising Acceptance of Digital Health Activities Due to the SARS-CoV-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Hannah Carver & Tracey Price & Danilo Falzon & Peter McCulloch & Tessa Parkes, 2022. "Stress and Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Frontline Homelessness Services Staff Experiences in Scotland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Phurichai Rungcharoenkitkul, 2021. "Macroeconomic effects of COVID‐19: A mid‐term review," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 439-458, October.
    5. Benjamin Bureau & Anne Duquerroy & Julien Giorgi & Mathias Lé & Suzanne Scott & Frédéric Vinas, 2022. "One Year of COVID: What Impact of the Pandemic on the Economic Activity of French Companies? Construction of Individual Counterfactuals and Diagnostics for 2020 [Un an de crise Covid : comment évaluer l’impact de la pandémie sur l’activité économi," Post-Print hal-05206832, HAL.
    6. ., Kaustubh & Gopalakrishnan, Pawan Gopalakrishnan & Ranjan, Abhishek Ranjan, 2025. "Estimating the New Keynesian Phillips Curve (NKPC) with Fat-tailed Events," MPRA Paper 126329, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Michael Christl & Silvia De Poli & Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė, 2025. "Correction: The rising tide lifts all boats? Income support measures for employees and self-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 32(6), pages 1932-1933, December.
    8. Rev. Dr. Pius K. Bett, 2025. "Nexus Between Financial Motivation and Employees’ Performance Mediated by Employee Related Factors in an Organization," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(6), pages 1908-1920, June.
    9. Wang, Yimin, 2025. "Links between COVID-19 lockdowns and drug overdose deaths, evidence from panel data," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    10. Ghassan Baliki & Wolfgang Stojetz & Tilman Brück & Mekdim D. Regassa & Damir Esenaliev & Milena Tzvetkova & Monika Schreiner, 2025. "The COVID-19 pandemic and food security: Micro-level evidence from Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Mozambique," HiCN Working Papers 439, Households in Conflict Network.
    11. Mara Violato & Jack Pollard & Andrew Lloyd & Laurence S J Roope & Raymond Duch & Matias Fuentes Becerra & Philip M Clarke, 2023. "The COVID-19 pandemic and health-related quality of life across 13 high- and low-middle-income countries: A cross-sectional analysis," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Xiao Chen & Hanwei Huang & Jiandong Ju & Ruoyan Sun & Jialiang Zhang, 2022. "Endogenous cross-region human mobility and pandemics," CEP Discussion Papers dp1860, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    13. Alejandro G. Graziano & Yuan Tian, 2023. "Trade disruptions along the global supply chain," Discussion Papers 2023-06, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    14. Khan, Nawab Ali & Azhar, Mohd & Rahman, Mohd Nayyer & Akhtar, Mohd Junaid, 2022. "Scale development and validation for usage of social networking sites during COVID-19," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    15. Zhiyuan Chen & Joseph L.-H. Tsui & Jun Cai & Shuo Su & Cécile Viboud & Louis Plessis & Philippe Lemey & Moritz U. G. Kraemer & Hongjie Yu, 2025. "Disruption of seasonal influenza circulation and evolution during the 2009 H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics in Southeastern Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    16. Hoffman, Geoffrey J. & Hays, Ron D. & Wallace, Steven P. & Shapiro, Martin F. & Ettner, Susan L., 2017. "Depressive symptomatology and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 206-213.
    17. Yekaterina Chzhen & Jennifer Symonds & Dympna Devine & Júlia Mikolai & Susan Harkness & Seaneen Sloan & Gabriela Martinez Sainz, 2022. "Learning in a Pandemic: Primary School children’s Emotional Engagement with Remote Schooling during the spring 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown in Ireland," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1517-1538, August.
    18. Mirko Licchetta & Giovanni Mattozzi & Rafal Raciborski & Rupert Willis, 2022. "Economic Adjustment in the Euro Area and the United States during the COVID-19 Crisis," European Economy - Discussion Papers 160, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    19. Eizaguerri Floris, Maria, 2026. "Teletrabajo en Suecia: impacto en bienestar, depresión y balance vida personal-trabajo [Teleworking in Sweden: Impacts on well-being, depression, and work–life balance]," MPRA Paper 127673, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Heather M. Hanson & Alia Bharwani & R. Stewart Longman & Marc J. Poulin, 2025. "Influences on Physical Activity Participation Among Older Adults: Perspectives of Exercise Professionals and Older Adult Exercise Participants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(3), pages 1-13, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7677-:d:591328. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.