Physical activity behaviour and screen time in Dutch children during the COVID-19 pandemic: Pre-, during- and post-school closures
Ten Velde G, Lubrecht J, Arayess L, van Loo C, Hesselink M, Reijnders D, Vreugdenhil A
Pediatric obesity · 113 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cohort study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Province Limburg
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2021-02-23 · Pediatr Obes · vol. 16 · issue 9 · p. e12779
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Cited
- 211 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 28.4× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 29 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY-NC-ND
- Research areas
- COVID-19 and Mental Health · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- physical activity, screen time, COVID-19 lockdown, school closures, children, sedentary behavior, accelerometer-measured sedentary time, self-reported physical activity, childhood obesity prevention, Dutch children
- MeSH
- humans, exercise, communicable disease control, time factors, schools, child, female, male, pandemics, accelerometry, screen time, covid-19, sars-cov-2
7 authors
From NL
- Gabrielle ten VeldeMaastricht University Medical Centre
- Judith LubrechtMaastricht University Medical Centre
- Lisanne ArayessMaastricht University Medical Centre
- Christiana M.T. van LooMaastricht University Medical Centre
- Marijn L. HesselinkMaastricht University Medical Centre
- Dorien ReijndersMaastricht University Medical Centre
Abstract
Background
Measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of schools and sports facilities, may have lasting impact on the physical activity (PA) of children that persists for a long time.
Objective
To investigate the effect of COVID-19 measures on screen time and PA in Dutch children pre-, during- and post-school closures.
Methods
In cohort A (n = 102, 10.5 ± 3.6 years, 42.4% boys), data on PA and screen time during the lockdown were collected using a questionnaire. In cohort B (n = 131, 10.2 ± 0.9 years, 43.5% boys), data on PA and screen time were collected using a questionnaire and accelerometry 1 year before and after school closure.
Results
In cohort A, 62% reported less total PA. Self-reported screen time on week days increased 34 ± 105 min/d during the lockdown. In cohort B, sedentary time as measured by accelerometry, increased by 45 ± 67 min/d and only 20% reached PA levels of 60 min/d compared to 64% in May 2019. Self-reported screen time increased by 59 ± 112 min/d and 62 ± 130 min/d during week and weekend days, respectively.
Conclusions
Children were less physically active, and screen time was higher during and after the school closures due to the COVID-19 lockdown. This is alarming as an active lifestyle in children is crucial in preventing chronic diseases such as obesity.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC-ND).
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