Human values and physical activity before and during COVID-19 restrictions in Hungary

Physical inactivity is a major public health challenge in Hungary. Drawing on Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values, we exploit a natural experiment created by temporary population-wide restrictions to examine how value orientations relate to physical activity across contrasting contexts. In a nationally representative survey of 1,031 adults, respondents reported frequency of structured exercise training (SET) and light daily physical activity (LDPA) for the period before the restrictions and during them. Generalized ordered logistic models linked activity categories to self-transcendence, conservation, openness to change, and self-enhancement, controlling for sociodemographic and health factors. Self-transcendence predicted higher participation in both SET and LDPA under usual conditions; during restrictions, its association with SET attenuated, whereas the link with LDPA remained robust. Conservation values consistently predicted lower SET, with avoidance intensifying under constraints; associations with LDPA were weaker. Openness to change and self-enhancement showed no independent effects after adjustment. Age, gender, education, self-rated health, BMI, smoking and alcohol use were associated with activity. Findings indicate that values shape activity differently depending on context: self-transcendence is associated with greater persistence in daily activity, whereas conservation corresponds to declines in structured exercise. Aligning interventions with motivational profiles may improve adherence when opportunities to be active are disrupted.