Healthy lifestyle behaviors in covid-19 positive and negative individuals: anexamination of vaccine acceptance, physical activity levels, and nutritionalattitudes

ABSTRACT Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in COVID-19 Positive and Negative Individuals: An Examination of Vaccine Acceptance, Physical Activity Levels, and Nutritional Attitudes The aim of this study is to examine healthy lifestyle behaviors; vaccine acceptance, physical activity level, and nutritional attitudes in COVID-19 positive and negative individuals. The sample of this cross-sectional and correlational study consisted of 335 valid datasets obtained from 415 individuals living in Mersin. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Nottingham Health Profile, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Short Form), and the Healthy Nutrition Attitude Scale. As the assumption of normality was not met, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and Dunn post-hoc tests were applied, and the level of significance was accepted as p<0.05. According to the findings, women had significantly higher scores than men in pain, physical activity, nutrition knowledge, positive nutritional attitude, and vigorous activity. Individuals who had contracted COVID-19 exhibited higher levels of vigorous physical activity. Among unvaccinated individuals, social isolation and positive nutritional attitude scores were negatively affected, while in individuals with health problems, quality of life sub-dimensions were adversely affected. As age increased, levels of emotional reaction, pain, sleep problems, and distress decreased, whereas these scores were higher in younger individuals. Physically active individuals had higher quality of life and lower levels of distress and fatigue. Correlation analysis revealed low-level negative relationships between physical activity level and quality of life sub-dimensions, and high-level positive relationships between vigorous–moderate physical activity and walking. In conclusion, individuals' ways of being affected by the pandemic vary according to age, gender, health status, and lifestyle, and it can be recommended that physical activity and healthy lifestyle policies be planned by taking individual differences into account. Keywords: COVID-19, physical activity level, quality of life, nutrition attitudes.