Comparison of exercise and physical activity routine and health status among apparently healthy Nigerian adults before and during COVID-19 lockdown: a self-report by social media users.

Background: COVID-19 is a pandemic that ravaged the world in manners that were never seen in the recent past, and one of the measures to stem the tide of this ravaging pandemic is a stay-at-home order referred to as lockdown. This study compares the physical activity status and perceived health of Nigerians before and during the lockdown. Results: Social media platform users (n = 205) were surveyed using a two-part questionnaire. The first part elicited the sociodemographic characteristics of the subject. In the second part, information about their exercise and physical activity, general health, and economic palliatives as offered by the government, non-governmental organizations, and philanthropists were elicited. The frequency of exercise was significantly more (p < 0.05) during the lockdown than before the lockdown. The duration and intensity of the exercise per week were comparable. There was also a negative relationship between the body mass index, frequency, and duration of exercise before and during the lockdown. The subjects perceived their health as worse during (3.70 ± 1.05) the lockdown than before (3.95 ± 0.97) lockdown (Z = - 3.69, p = 0.00). Conclusion: Overall, for these cohorts of social media platform users, lockdown did not adversely affect their exercise routine. It is recommended that there should be specific recommendation on exercise as an important Instrumental Activity of Daily Living [IADL]. Therefore, while this pandemic lockdown lasts and beyond, the safety measures to follow while partaking in this IADL should be included in the public health recommendation.

Practices of Nigerian physiotherapists with respect to lifestyle risk factor assessment and intervention: A national cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Resolutions of the World Health Organization and World Confederation for Physical Therapy declare health promotion a priority for health professionals including physiotherapists. OBJECTIVE: To describe lifestyle-related risk factor assessment and intervention practices of Nigerian physiotherapists, their perceived barriers to such practices, and education needs. METHODS: Physiotherapists (n = 650) were invited to complete a questionnaire with 23 questions about respondent demographics, lifestyle risk factor assessment, and management practices; barriers to such practices; and related education needs. Statistical analysis was descriptive. RESULTS: Response rate was 69% (n = 451). Less than half of respondents indicated that they "always" advised smokers to quit or heavy drinkers to reduce alcohol consumption. Most respondents viewed diet and anthropometrics as risk factors that warrant being addressed, but few respondents did so. Physical inactivity and blood pressure were the commonest risk factors reportedly assessed. Perceived barriers to health promotion practices included time, knowledge, and access to other providers. Continuing education needs identified by respondents included methods for delivering advice regarding smoking cessation, diet, and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Nigerian physiotherapists inconsistently assess lifestyle-related risks and intervene to address them. Continuing education is needed to address barriers to health promotion practices by meeting the perceived needs of Nigerian physiotherapists.

Promotion of healthy nutrition in clinical practice: A cross-sectional survey of practices and barriers among physiotherapists in southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Healthy diet counselling is an important concept in health promotion. Physiotherapists are well positioned to initiate or support healthy nutrition in addition to physical activity counselling, in routine patient consultation. OBJECTIVE: To determine the practices about and barriers to diet counselling practices among physiotherapists in Southeast Nigeria. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, a total of 140 questionnaires were distributed among physiotherapists. RESULTS: Overall, 103 physiotherapists responded. Physiotherapists are confident and consider the incorporation of dietary counselling very important and of high priority in their daily clinical work. They, however, assessed and counselled on dietary status opportunistically in patients. Notwithstanding, physiotherapists believed that the diet counselling they give could be effective in helping patients change their unhealthy dieting practices. Patients were also amenable to physiotherapists advocating on diet issues as part of their consultation. Several barriers to incorporating diet counselling into physiotherapy practice were identified, including lack of access to a dietician/health promotion staff/counsellors, lack of proper patient education materials, lack of expertise in relation to dietary risk factors' assessment and management, and uncertainty about what dietary services to provide. CONCLUSION: Although physiotherapists consider it important to incorporate diet counselling in their daily clinical practice, development and implementation of strategies to improve physiotherapists' diet counselling knowledge, competence, skills, and practice are warranted.