Associations between Affect, Physical Activity, and Anxiety Among US Children During COVID-19 (preprint)

We investigated how emotional responses (positive and negative affect), physical activity (PA), and sedentary behaviors related to anxiety among US children during the COVID 19 pandemic. Sixty four typically developing children (63% girls) age 9 to 15 years old completed two virtual visits during height of stay at home measures between April 22 to July 29, 2020. Children completed 24 hour PA recalls, state portion of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the shortened 10 item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS C). Children reported state anxiety scores that were more than 5 standard deviations greater than values from healthy pediatric populations prior to the pandemic. Children with higher positive affect and who reported more time in PA reported less state anxiety. Sedentary and leisure screen time were positively correlated with negative affect. Our findings suggest that maintaining positive affect, engaging in PA, and limiting leisure screen time may be important for child mental health during stressful periods.

Children's Anxiety and Physical Activity during COVID-19 in Relation to Prenatal Exposure to Gestational Diabetes (preprint)

Research goal: Assess the relationships between anxiety levels, physical activity and in utero exposure to Gestational Diabetes mellitus (GDM) in children age 9 to 15, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: During the COVID-19 pandemic, participants completed phone call or video calls with study personnel where they were asked to report on their physical activity and anxiety levels using the 24-hour physical activity recall and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. GDM-exposure was assessed using electronic medical records. Results: Children who reported higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity or vigorous physical activity, reported lower anxiety symptoms. Children exposed to GDM in utero reported higher anxiety scores and lower engagement in vigorous physical activity compared to unexposed children. Moreover, the pathway through which children exposed to GDM in utero, reported higher anxiety was partially explained by reduced engagement in vigorous physical activity (75%, p=0.05). Conclusions: Engaging in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic may be beneficial for reducing anxiety, particularly among children exposed to GDM in utero, who are at increased risk for adverse psychological outcomes.