TY - JOUR T1 - Self-reported physical activity before a COVID-19 ‘lockdown’: is it just a matter of opinion? JF - BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine JO - BMJ OPEN SP EX MED DO - 10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001088 VL - 7 IS - 2 SP - e001088 AU - Troy J Cross AU - Jennifer M J Isautier AU - Emmanuel Stamatakis AU - Sarah Jane Morris AU - Bruce D Johnson AU - Courtney Wheatley-Guy AU - Bryan J Taylor Y1 - 2021/05/01 UR - http://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/7/2/e001088.abstract N2 - There are growing concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated a sedentary shift in our physical activity habits. A reduction in physical activity during the pandemic may be secondary to restrictive policies implemented at the government-level, typically those policies which limit interpersonal contact; for example, physical/social distancing. It is without question that social distancing is a necessary measure to mitigate community transmission of the novel virus; however, these policies often limit the public’s opportunities to engage in physical activity. The strictest enforcement of social distancing occurs during an authority-mandated ‘lockdown’ (also known as a ‘shelter-in-place’ or ‘stay-at-home’ order). This Viewpoint focuses on the current evidence demonstrating that physical activity declines during a COVID-19 ‘lockdown’. We highlight the point that most of the available evidence stems from investigations using non-validated, self-reported measures of physical activity and discuss the caveats therewith. This Viewpoint explores whether current evidence reflects an ‘actual’ or rather a ‘perceived’ reduction in physical activity, and raises the question of whether this distinction matters in the end. ER -