Effect of Covid-19 on the Lifestyles of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Elite Athletes: A Cross-Country Analysis

Abstract

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread home confinement and quarantine measures. Despite ongoing vaccination efforts, some elite athletes have shown hesitancy about getting vaccinated. Aim: This study sought to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the lifestyles of vaccinated and unvaccinated elite athletes through a cross-country comparison. Methods: In 2021, an online survey was administered to 581 elite athletes aged 18-35 from different countries across four continents. The survey included socio-individual data, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (REAP-S), and the Petersburg Sleep Quality Questionnaire (PSQI). The participants voluntarily agreed to take part in the survey. The data analysis employed U-Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon tests, with a significance level of alpha p< 0.05. Results: The findings demonstrated a significant disparity in the physical activity and dietary habits of vaccinated versus unvaccinated elite athletes (p<0.001). However, no notable variance was observed in sleep quality between the two groups (p=0.270). Conclusion: Despite nearly half of the surveyed elite athletes being unvaccinated, their physical activity levels surpassed those of vaccinated counterparts during the pandemic. Furthermore, vaccinated elite athletes exhibited better eating habits compared to their unvaccinated counterparts. Notably, no significant difference was evident in sleep quality between the two groups.