Objective:

To evaluate the level of physical activity, sitting hours and Body Mass Index in a university community associated with the mandatory isolation decreed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method:

Descriptive, cross-sectional study in workers, teachers and students with an age range of 18 to 59 years, carried out between February and April 2021 with convenience sampling. The body mass index was determined and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, short version endorsed for Colombia, was applied.

Results:

A total of 52 people were evaluated, 35 women (67.3%) and 17 men (32.7%), mean age of 37.6 years ± 11.4, mean BMI of 25.9 kg/m² ± 3.8. The BMI level showed excess weight in 67.9% of the group aged 39 or over. In the younger group only 4.2% showed levels of obesity. People with low weight level were not found. A low level of physical activity was found in 57.7% of the participants, 15.4% showed a moderate level and 26.9% showed a high level of physical activity. The sitting hours of the elderly was found to be 8.4 hours per day.

Conclusions:

Changes in lifestyle associated with mandatory isolation had a negative impact on the level of physical activity, on the body mass index and on the number of hours sitting for the members of the university community.

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