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Correlates of children's physical activity during the COVID-19 confinement in Portugal.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to understand the role of household variables on the percentage of physical activity (%PA) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement in Portugal. STUDY DESIGN:A cross-sectional study design using an anonymous online survey was launched to assess how Portuguese families with children aged younger than 13 years adjusted their daily routines to the confinement. METHODS:Separate analyses of variance were performed to investigate how factors such as the number of children, age, sex, the housing characteristics, and the adults' job situation can affect the percentage of time for PA (%PA). RESULTS:Findings, based on data from 2159 children, indicate that (1) boys and girls did not differ in the %PA on any of the age-groups; (2) children with an outdoor space and who had other children in the household were significantly more active (P < .001); (3) children from families with all adults working from home showed lower levels of %PA; and (4) being younger, having a big outdoor space, having other children in the household, and having at least one adult free from working from home were significant positive predictors of children's %PA, explaining 21% of the overall variance. CONCLUSION:Time allocated for PA during this period is reduced compared with what is usually reported on normal days. It is necessary to find strategies to increase children's PA, especially in families in which both parents are working and have no outdoor space.

SUBMITTER: Pombo A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7508519 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Correlates of children's physical activity during the COVID-19 confinement in Portugal.

Pombo A A Luz C C Rodrigues L P LP Ferreira C C Cordovil R R

Public health 20200922

<h4>Objectives</h4>The aim of the study was to understand the role of household variables on the percentage of physical activity (%PA) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement in Portugal.<h4>Study design</h4>A cross-sectional study design using an anonymous online survey was launched to assess how Portuguese families with children aged younger than 13 years adjusted their daily routines to the confinement.<h4>Methods</h4>Separate analyses of variance were performed to investig ...[more]

PMID: 33126117

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Project description:BackgroundCOVID-19 has drastically changed the everyday lives of children, including limiting interactions with peers, loss of regularly organized activities, and closure of schools and recreational facilities. While COVID-19 protocols are in place to reduce viral transmission, they have affected children's access to physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this study was to understand how COVID-19 has affected children's engagement in physical activity and to identify strategies that can support children's return to physical activity programming in public places.MethodsParents of past participants in the Grade 5 ACT-i-Pass Program in London, Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview online (in November and December 2020) via Microsoft Teams. The script was comprised of questions about their child's physical activity levels (before, current, and anticipated following COVID-19), lifestyle changes due to COVID-19, and what service providers can do to assist children's return to public programming. Interviews were transcribed in Microsoft Teams, reviewed by a member of the research team, and analyzed in NVivo 12 using thematic analysis.ResultsTwenty-seven parents participated in an interview. Four themes and two subthemes were identified during analysis: (1) modifications to everyday life (a. activity options available and b. altered social environment), (2) safety in public spaces, (3) accessibility of activities, and (4) utilizing outdoor spaces.ConclusionsCOVID-19 protocols have decreased children's physical activity levels due to the loss of their regular activities, recreational spaces, and peer support. Implementing facility and activity-specific health protocols, providing outdoor activity options, and offering a variety of activity types, times, and locations are three strategies recommended by parents to help facilitate their children's return to public recreational places. Due to the negative consequences of physical inactivity on children's health and well-being, service providers need to implement programming and safety protocols that support children's engagement in physical activity throughout the remainder of, and the years following, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project description:BackgroundWhile physical inactivity is associated with adverse psychological outcomes, less is known about the psychological outcomes associated with sedentary behaviour, and specifically, its mentally active and passive forms. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a unique opportunity to study associations between these variables in light of widespread stay-at-home mandates and restrictions on outdoor exercise/social activities. Using a cross-sectional dataset acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, we examined whether physical activity and sedentary behaviour were associated with subjective quality of life (sQoL) and subjective cognitive dysfunction, and whether these associations were mediated by depressive symptoms.Methods658 participants (males = 169, females = 489) self-reported data on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in an online survey during May 2020-May 2021. Data on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (both mentally active and passive types) was compared according to whether it was collected during or out of a lockdown period. Regression models were used to test associations of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with sQoL and subjective cognitive dysfunction, and whether these associations were mediated by depression severity.ResultsPhysical activity was beneficially associated with sQoL, whereas sedentary behaviour (both total hours and the reduction of mentally active/increase in mentally passive behaviour) was detrimentally associated with sQoL. These associations were mediated by depression severity. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were also indirectly associated with subjective cognitive dysfunction by virtue of their associations with depression severity.ConclusionsThere are important differences in the psychological correlates of mentally passive and active sedentary behaviours. Our findings suggest that health promotion strategies should focus on not only increasing physical activity but also reducing passive sedentary behaviours as a means of maintaining good psychological health.

Project description:BackgroundDuring the 2020 UK COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, children spent almost all of their time at home, which had a significant influence on their physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour. This study aimed to: 1) determine changes to the social and physical environment at home and children's home-based sitting, PA, standing and sitting breaks as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions; and 2) examine associations between changes at home and children's movement behaviours.MethodsOne hundred and two children had their PA and sitting, standing and sitting breaks at home objectively measured pre-COVID-19 and during the first COVID-19 lockdown (June-July 2020). Children's parents (n = 101) completed an audit of their home physical environment and a survey on the home social environment at both time points. Changes in the home physical and social environment and behavioural outcomes were assessed using Wilcoxon signed ranked tests, paired t-tests, or chi-square. Repeated linear regression analyses examined associations between changes in homes and changes in the home-based behavioural outcomes.ResultsDuring COVID-19, households increased the amount of seated furniture and electronic media equipment at home. The number of books and PA equipment decreased and fewer parents enforced a screen-time rule. Children's preference for physical activities and socialising at home decreased. Time at home and sitting at home increased during COVID-19, whilst PA, standing and sitting breaks decreased. Both MVPA and TPA were positively associated with child preference for PA, and negatively associated with attending school. Sitting was negatively associated with child preference for PA and child preference for socialising at home. Media equipment was negatively associated with sitting breaks, whilst PA equipment was positively associated with standing.ConclusionThe COVID-19 restrictions forced children to spend almost all their time at home. Children's PA, standing, and sitting breaks at home declined during the restrictions, while sitting increased. Mostly negative changes occurred in homes, some of which impacted children's behaviours at home. To avoid the changes persisting post-lockdown, interventions are needed to reset and promote children's PA and discourage prolonged sitting time.

Project description:The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that individuals of all ages participate in regular physical activity (PA) for optimal health and to support with the control of multiple non-communicable diseases. In Kenya however, involvement in PA across the general population is low and there is an increase in sedentary lifestyles in both rural and urban areas. An inverse relationship exists between socioeconomic status and involvement in PA. The novel COVID-19 ushered in associated control measures to limit the spread of the virus. These measures included staying at home, social distancing, and closure of physical spaces such as gyms, public parks, sports grounds, outdoor playing areas and schools. The impact was immediate, impacting patterns and routines of PA in Kenya. The primary aim of this study was to verify if COVID-19 affected PA prevalence and patterns amongst adults in Eldoret, Kenya. The secondary aim was to ascertain if the modification in behaviour is consistent amongst individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds. We used a cross-sectional study to examine self-reported PA data amongst 404 participants. All participants were ≥18 years and resided in Eldoret, Kenya. Data were collected using a self-administered, structured questionnaire adapted from the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (WHO GPAQ). The characteristics of participants’ is summarized using descriptive statistics, and bivariate analyses for measures of associations of variables was done using Chi-squared and Fishers exact tests. Binary logistic regressions were performed to adjust for the various factors and report associations between variables. The p-value considered for significant differences was set at <0.05. Participants in this study had mean age of 30.2±9.8 years. Almost 90% of the participants were not aware of the current WHO guidelines on PA, 9% stopped PA engagement after COVID-19 was first reported in Kenya, and only 25% continued regular PA. Less than half maintained PA intensity after the advent of COVID-19, with almost half reporting a drop. Males had a drop in time taken per PA session while females maintained session lengths after COVID-19 (p = 0.03). Males preferred gym-setup or mixed-type PA while females opted for indoor (home) aerobics before and after COVID-19 (p = 0.01, p = 0.02 respectively). Compared to males, females were less likely to achieve both vigorous- and moderate-intensity PA recommendations (p<0.01 and p = 0.02 respectively). Zone of residence was associated with participation in aerobic PA (p = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.02499–0.96086) and, similarly, level of education was associated with knowledge of WHO recommendations for PA (p = 0.01; 95% CI = -1.7544 - -0.2070). A majority of the urban population of Eldoret, Kenya and especially those with lower level of education are unaware of WHO recommendations for PA, and 30% of them have not engaged in any form of PA for many years. The majority that report involvement in PA do not achieve the WHO recommended threshold levels of PA. The results also indicated that COVID-19 has negatively affected intensity of PA, and that there has been an increase in time spent sitting/reclining amongst individuals in the higher socio-economic classes and specifically amongst females.

Dataset Information

Correlates of children's physical activity during the COVID-19 confinement in Portugal.

Publications

Correlates of children's physical activity during the COVID-19 confinement in Portugal.

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