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Physical activity confers many physical and mental health benefits. Thus, it is of great concern that the COVID-19 lockdown has adversely impacted engagement in physical activity. There is a need to understand the factors linked to physical activity during COVID-19 as this will be fundamental to the development of innovative approaches to support engagement in physical activity during a pandemic. This study aimed to ascertain the psychological and mental health predictors of physical activity during the COVID-19 lockdown. We also examined the value of harnessing commercial physical activity apps to facilitate physical activity during a pandemic. A nationwide online survey was completed by 408 Australian adults (Mage = 35.7 ± 13.9 years, 86.0% female) following the initial COVID-19 lockdown (April/May 2020). The survey incorporated measures that retrospectively assessed physical activity (and perceived changes in physical activity behaviour), psychological constructs (social support, self-efficacy, self-determined motivations), mental health, and engagement with commercial physical activity apps during the lockdown. Over half of participants (53.4%) reported a reduction in physical activity during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, with markedly fewer (23.8%) reporting an increase in physical activity. App use (β =.09, p =.027), social support (β =.10, p =.021), self-efficacy (β =.42, p <.001), and identified regulation (β =.25, p <.001) emerged as important predictors of physical activity engagement (min/week). Self-efficacy (OR = 4.2, p <.001) was also associated with a greater likelihood of perceived positive changes (increases) in physical activity. The relationship between app use and physical activity was mediated by self-efficacy (β = 0.10 [0.06, 0.15]) and identified regulation (β = 0.09 [0.04, 0.15]); self-efficacy (β = 0.15, [0.09, 0.21]) also mediated the relationship between app use and positive changes in physical activity. It is imperative that interventions targeted at increasing social support, self-efficacy, and autonomous motivations are developed and utilised to support engagement in physical activity during a pandemic. Commercial physical activity apps demonstrate the potential to mitigate reductions in physical activity during a pandemic, and thus the use of these apps should be encouraged. • Over half of participants reported a reduction in physical activity during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in Australia. • App use, social support, self-efficacy and identified regulation predicted physical activity during the lockdown. • Self-efficacy was associated with a greater likelihood of perceived positive changes (increases) in physical activity. • The relationship between app use and physical activity was mediated by self-efficacy and identified regulation. • Self-efficacy also mediated the relationship between app use and positive changes in physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have indicated a relationship between the use of commercial physical activity apps (e.g., Fitbit, Strava) and physical activity engagement. The use of social components of such apps, in particular app-specific communities (connecting with other app users) and existing social networking platforms (e.g., Facebook) have the potential to enhance physical activity. This study aimed to explore the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between the use of commercial physical activity apps (and their social components) and physical activity engagement. An online cross-sectional survey assessed physical activity, use of commercial physical activity apps (and their associated social components), and psychological constructs (social support, self-efficacy, motivation, trait competitiveness, trait social comparison). 1274 adults aged 18–83 years (M age = 34.1 ± 13.5 years, 87.6% female) participated. App use was positively associated with physical activity engagement. The relationship between app use and physical activity was fully mediated by social support , self-efficacy , intrinsic motivation and identified regulation. Trait competitiveness, but not trait social comparison, moderated the relationship between app use and physical activity. Most features (e.g., sharing posts, providing or receiving encouragement) of the social components of apps were positively associated with psychological constructs linked to engagement in physical activity. Mediation pathways linking features of existing social networking platforms with physical activity were found. Specifically, sharing posts was linked to higher engagement in physical activity via positive associations with self-efficacy, and receiving encouragement with linked to higher engagement in physical activity via positive associations with both self-efficacy and identified regulation. In addition, engagement in comparisons was associated with lower self-efficacy and higher external regulation, and in turn, lower physical activity. The relationship between the use of commercial physical activity apps and physical activity is underpinned by social support, self-efficacy and autonomous motivations. The findings highlight the importance of trait competitiveness, which should be taken into consideration when leveraging physical activity apps. Overall, the present study demonstrated that commercial physical activity apps (and their social components) hold great potential to increase physical activity engagement given their associations with psychological constructs strongly linked with physical activity. • Commercial physical activity apps and their social components are associated with greater engagement in physical activity. • Social support, self-efficacy and autonomous motivations mediated the relationship between app use and physical activity. • Trait competitiveness moderated the relationship between app use and physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]