Physical activity level, screen time and sleep habits in Chilean adolescents, during quarantine by COVID-19

Objective: to determine the level of physical activity (NAF), screen time (TP) and sleep habits (HS) in Chilean adolescents, during the COVID-19 quarantine. Methodology: descriptive and correlational study with a sample of 196 adolescents from different regions of Chile. Results: In general, the most active students did not exceed the PD recommendations and reported higher values of sleep quality and total score compared to those who did not meet both. Conclusion: the study indicates that, under a quarantine context, the variables are more altered in the female gender, in addition, the need to jointly analyze and monitor the NAF, TP and HS is evident to avoid disorders related to the health of the males. POST-COVID-19 students. © Copyright: Federación Española de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educación Física (FEADEF)

Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep behavior and screen exposure time: An observational study among Indian school children

Lockdown is an important measure that has been globally adopted to reduce the spread of the contagious disease caused by SARS CoV-2. The imposed schedule and confinement led to extensive use of digital media and rise in sedentary activity drastically. The escalated duration of screen exposure causes disruption in sleep behavior. An online survey was conducted to comprehend the effect of lockdown on sleep behavior and screen exposure time on school children. Screen exposure time involved with various electronic gadgets was also analyzed. It was observed that the social jet lag and sleep debt were significantly less during lockdown than before it. Inertia during lockdown significantly increased. The difference between screen exposure time on weekdays before lockdown and weekends during lockdown was identified to be the highest. Three clusters based on sleep behavior and duration of screen time were identified of which Cluster 2 revealed simultaneous existence of high sleep duration and screen time. These baseline data on sleep parameters and duration of exposure to the screen will help us in devising approaches to mitigate the evident disruption this unprecedented phase has brought about. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Eye Sight - A Bull's Eye Target of COVID-19

Aim: To determine the effect of COVID-19 on eye sight due to increase screen time in undergraduate students of medical school. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Place and duration of study: This survey was carried out from October 2022 to December 2022 in Army Medical College Rawalpindi. Questionnaires were filled in person and also online-based platform was used to distribute the e-questionnaire, developed using the Google Form. The participants were asked to share the e-questionnaire with their friends using Facebook and Messenger. Method(s): Participants were selected for the study using non-probability consecutive sampling. College students of 20-25 years were included in the study. Sample size was 400 according to a study done internationally. Participants with comorbidities (cataract, glaucoma) were excluded from study. Participants having (trouble concentrating on things such as reading the newspaper, books or watching television) were included in the study. Digital eye strain was calculated using validated computer vision syndrome (CVS-Q) questionnaire to measure the symptoms such as eye fatigue, headache, blurred vision, double vision, itching eyes, dryness, tears, eye redness and pain, excessive blinking, feeling of a foreign body, burning or irritation, difficulty in focusing for near vision, feeling of sight worsening, and sensitivity to light. Qualitative data was analyzed using Chi square test. Results A total number of 470 responses were recorded, out of which 257 (54.7%) were males and 213(45.3%) were females. In our study, the most common symptom was headache, affecting 58.1% of the population before COVID 19 which has increased to 83.2% and the P value is less than 0.001.Theother symptoms which also showed P value less than 0.001 were blurred vision while using digital device, irritated or burning eyes, dry eyes and sensitivity to bright light. Conclusion The practical implication of the study is to create awareness among general population about COVID, that eye sight is Bull`s Target to be affected by it and simple preventing measures can be taken. The purpose of this study is to limelight the importance that during COVID 19 lockdown the excessive use of digital devices and their cons on the ocular health among future health care workers.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

The Relationship Between Screen Time and Symptom Severity in Children with ADHD during COVID-19 Lockdown.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between screen time and symptom severity in children with ADHD during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: Caregivers of children with ADHD aged 7 to 16 years completed the screen time questionnaire and ADHD rating scales of the SNAP-IV-Thai version during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. The correlation between screen time and ADHD scores was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 90 children, aged 11.31 ± 2.29 years, enrolled, 74.4% were male, 64.4% were in primary school, and 73% had electronic screens in their bedrooms. After adjusting with other factors, recreational screen time, both on weekdays and on weekend days, were positively correlated with ADHD scores (both inattention and hyperactive/impulsive scores). Studying screen time, on the other hand, was not associated with ADHD symptom severity. Compared to during the lockdown, studying screen time decreased after the lockdown, but recreational screen time and ADHD scores were not changed. CONCLUSION: Increasing recreational screen time was associated with worsening ADHD symptoms.

Relationship Between Screen Time and Dry Eye Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Pediatric Population of the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Objective To measure the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) and study the relationship between screen time and dry eye symptoms in the pediatric population during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. Methods In this descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study, our survey included the pediatric population, ages 1 to 18 years, of both genders, who attended outpatient clinics of two main hospitals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Collected data included age, gender, dry eye symptoms, and common DED risk factors, followed by the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, which consists of 12 items graded on a five-point scale (0 = never to 4 = all the time). Results A total of 329 pediatric participants were included, with more than half of the participants (56.1%) males and 58.5% aged 12-18 years. The most frequently reported symptoms (reported as often or always) were decreased vision (23.0%) and itchy eyes (22.1%). Environmental factors have an effect on developing DED symptoms, as some participants (21.8%) have reported being uncomfortable in windy weather and 15.8% have reported this in places with air conditioners. Based on the OSDI diagnostic criteria, 250 (76.1%) participants had DED. Furthermore, in terms of severity, 44 (13.3%) participants had mild DED, 62 (18.8%) participants had moderate DED, and 145 (43.9%) participants had severe DED. We found that prolonged exposure to mobile screens for two to three hours or four hours or more was associated with a higher DED incidence compared to those exposed for shorter periods. Older age categories were more likely to experience DED (80.8% and 78.2% in age categories 12-18 and 7-12, respectively, versus 57.6% in the youngest age category (p = 0.001)). Additionally, DED was independently associated with participants with a previous history of eyeglasses prescription and those experiencing dry eyes while using electronic devices. Conclusion Since many children use electronic devices for education and entertainment, we found that symptoms of DED due to prolonged screen time have increased among the pediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, awareness efforts should be directed to reduce the rate of controllable risk factors like personal computer use. In addition, educational campaigns are warranted to provide all possible preventive measures against DED, especially to children with uncontrollable risk factors for developing DED.

Correlation between screen time and psychosomatic symptoms in children during COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown.

Background: This study was planned to estimate the effect of lockdown on psychosomatic problems and sleep of children and their association with screen the time during the lockdown. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1-12-year-old children at a tertiary care hospital in South India. A pre-validated questionnaire with 20 related questions was disseminated through pediatric OPD, telemedicine service, and social media to eligible parents. Results: A total of 278 children aged 1-12 years with a mean (SD) age of 6.92 (3.01) years were studied. Most under 5-year-oldchildren had screen time of ≤2 hours/day, whereas 58.16% of children between 5 and 12 years spent >4 hours/day (P < 0.000). A significant proportion of participants aged 5-12 years had vision problems (P = 0.019), whereas under 5-year-old children had significant associated behavioral changes (P = 0.016) and sleep problems (P = 0.043). Conclusion: Behavioral and sleep problems were significantly high and correlated with an increase in screen time among under 5-year-old children. Vision problems were more in 5-12-year-old children.

Preschool children's screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: associations with family characteristics and children's anxiety/withdrawal and approaches to learning.

With schools closed due to the COVID-19, many children have been exposed to media devices for learning and entertainment, raising concerns over excessive screen time for young children. The current study examined how preschoolers' screen time was associated with their family characteristics and anxiety/withdrawal and approaches to learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 764 caregivers of 3- to 6-year-old children (mean age = 59.07 months, SD = 12.28 months; 403 boys and 361 girls) from nine preschools in Wuhan, China, where the pandemic started. The effects of family characteristics on children's screen time during the pandemic outbreak and the associations between screen time and children's anxiety/withdrawal and approaches to learning were examined using path analysis. The results showed that children who spent more time on interactive screen use (e.g., playing with tablets) showed higher levels of anxiety/withdrawal and fewer positive learning behaviors. Unexpectedly, children who spent more time on noninteractive screen use (e.g., watching TV) showed lower levels of anxiety/withdrawal. Additionally, children's screen time was related to family characteristics: children living in more chaotic families with fewer screen time restrictions spent more time on screen use after the pandemic outbreak. The findings suggest that young children's frequent use of interactive screens, such as tablets and smartphones, might be harmful to their learning and wellbeing during the pandemic. To mitigate the potential negative effects, it is essential to manage the screen time of preschoolers by establishing rules for their interactive screen use and improving the household routines related to the overall screen use.

Associations of active and passive smartphone use with measures of youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smartphone use provides a significant amount of screen-time for youth, and there have been growing concerns regarding its impact on their mental health. While time spent in a passive manner on the device is frequently considered deleterious, more active engagement with the phone might be protective for mental health. Recent developments in mobile sensing technology provide a unique opportunity to examine behaviour in a naturalistic manner. The present study sought to investigate, in a sample of 451 individuals (mean age 20.97 years old, 83% female), whether the amount of time spent on the device, an indicator of passive smartphone use, would be associated with worse mental health in youth and whether an active form of smartphone use, namely frequent checking of the device, would be associated with better outcomes. The findings highlight that overall time spent on the smartphone was associated with more pronounced internalizing and externalizing symptoms in youth, while the number of unlocks was associated with fewer internalizing symptoms. For externalizing symptoms, there was also a significant interaction between the two types of smartphone use observed. Using objective measures, our results suggest interventions targeting passive smartphone use may contribute to improving the mental health of youth.

Discrepancies Between Self-reported and Objectively Measured Smartphone Screen Time: Before and During Lockdown.

Screen time shows higher health risks compared to other types of sedentary behaviors. A lockdown may simultaneously increase screen time, reduce physical activity (PA), and change time perception. Our goal was to compare self-reported against objectively measured smartphone screen time (SST) in a sample of active and inactive Portuguese adults before and during a social lockdown. This study was a cross-sectional analysis with 211 Portuguese adults (57.8% males), aged 25.2 ± 8.5 years, from two cohorts, one before the social lockdown and the other during the lockdown. SST was self-reported (SR-SST) and objectively measured using a smartphone (OM-SST). PA was self-reported. Linear regressions were performed to determine the association between SR-SST and OM-SST. A Bland and Altman analysis was used to assess agreement. Independent T-tests were performed for comparisons between cohorts and paired sample T-tests for comparisons within each cohort. The cohort assessed during the lockdown showed a higher SST than the cohort assessed before the lockdown (OM-SST; p < 0.001 and SR-SST; p = 0.009). Before the lockdown, there was no difference between SR-SST and OM-SST (p = 0.100). However, during the social lockdown, although the agreement between SR-SST and OM-SST was good (ICC = 0.72), participants systematically underestimated their SST by ~ 71 min/day (p < 0.001), and this underestimation was higher in inactive participants (~ 85 min/day) than in active individuals (~ 49 min/day). The general population needs to be aware of the benefits of limiting screen time, especially during periods of societal modifications, such as a generalized lockdown. There was a tendency to underestimate SST, meaning a lack of awareness of the actual time spent in this potentially deleterious behavior. This underestimation was more pronounced during the lockdown period and for the inactive participants, thus posing a greater health risk. The findings from this investigation entail relevant information for policy makers to delineate strategies for reducing population screen time from a preventive health perspective.

High screen time and internalizing and externalizing behaviours among children aged 3 to 14 years during the COVID-19 pandemic in France.

Children's screen time increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2021, we explored the association between high screen time over a period of one year since May 2020 and behavioural problems among children and adolescents. The data were derived from the French EpiCov cohort study, collected in spring 2020, autumn 2020, and spring 2021. Participants (N = 1089) responded to online or telephone interviews about one of their children aged 3 to 14 years. Screen time was categorized as high if the daily mean screen time exceeded recommendations at each collection time. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was completed by parents to identify internalizing (emotional or peer problems) and externalizing (conduct problems or hyperactivity/inattention) behaviours in their children. Among the 1,089 children, 561 (51.5%) were girls, the average age was 8.6 years (SD 3.7). Internalizing behaviours: High screen time was not associated with internalizing behaviours (OR [95% CI] 1.20 [0.90-1.59]) or emotional symptoms (1.00 [0.71-1.41]) while it was associated with peer problems (1.42 [1.04-1.95]). Externalizing behaviours: High screen time was associated with externalizing problems (1.63 [1.01-2.63]) and conduct problems (1.91 [1.15-3.22]) only among older children aged 11 to 14 years. No association with hyperactivity/inattention was found. In a French cohort, exploration of persistent high screen time in the first year of the pandemic and behaviour difficulties in Summer 2021 resulted in mixed findings according to behaviour's type and children's age. These mixed findings warrant further investigation into screen type and leisure/school screen use to enhance future pandemic responses appropriate for children.

Prospective associations between child screen time and parenting stress and later inattention symptoms in preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. Method: This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Results: Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. Discussion: These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.

Paediatricians' awareness of Canadian screen time guidelines, perception of screen time use, and counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives Paediatricians are essential in guiding families on screen time use as digital media becomes increasingly prevalent. While this has been highlighted through the COVID-19 pandemic there is no literature on paediatricians' awareness of Canadian screen time guidelines, or perception of these guidelines during this time. The aim of this study was to assess pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and comfort with the Canadian Paediatric Society's (CPS) screen time guidelines, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Our survey was developed by a paediatric resident and paediatric endocrinologist, reviewed by local experts, and sent electronically to members of the CPS Community and Developmental Paediatrics sections. Results All 53 respondents were aware of current CPS screen time guidelines, and the majority self-reported fair to excellent knowledge of guidelines for both age groups (<5 years and school-aged children/adolescents). Over 80% noticed increased screen use during the pandemic, and 98% were somewhat or very concerned about screen use and their patients' health and well-being. Pediatricians reported concerns about associations between increased screen time with worsening behaviour, mental health concerns, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. The greatest barrier to reducing screen time was perceived insufficient motivation or support from caregivers/families. Conclusions Responding Canadian paediatricians are knowledgeable and comfortable with current screen time guidelines in Canada. Despite this, there is increasing concern with health outcomes associated with screen use. These results highlight paediatricians' important role in counselling patients and may encourage further local advocacy and public education around screen use and associated health risks in children.

Sleep quality as a mediator of the relationship between screen time and negative emotions among Chinese college freshmen.

College freshmen are special populations facing great challenges in adapting to the brand new environment, and their lifestyle and emotional states are worthy of attention. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, their screen time and prevalence of negative emotions were significantly increased, but few studies have focused on such situation of college freshmen and illustrated relevant mechanisms. Thus, based on a sample of Chinese college freshmen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the current study aimed to investigate the association between their screen time and negative emotions (depression, anxiety and stress), and further explore the mediating effects of sleep quality. Data from 2,014 college freshmen was analyzed. The screen time was self-reported by participants using predesigned questionnaires. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Chinese Version of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were used to assess sleep quality and emotional states, respectively. The mediation analysis was conducted to examine the meditation effect. Results indicated that participants with negative emotions tended to have longer daily screen time and worse sleep quality, sleep quality partially mediated the association between screen time and negative emotions.The critical role of sleep quality and related intervention measures should be recognized and implemented.

Mental Wellbeing among Children with Cancer during COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected both physical and mental aspect of people worldwide, especially the high-risk group such as pediatric cancer patients. Children with cancer were considered both clinically and mentally vulnerable during this pandemic. They were also affected by the self- isolation, quarantine, and social distancing policy taken as a respond to public threat. Objectives To evaluate the impact of social distancing and health protocol during COVID-19 on the mental health profile of children with cancer in Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional study evaluating the mental health of children with cancer during COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia from June to September 2020. An online questionnaire was used to collect demographics of parents and children, children's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire ( SDQ) score, and parents' Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ). SDQ score consists of five subscales, including the emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer relationships problems and prosocial behavior. Cancer types were grouped into retinoblastoma, nonretinoblastoma (other solid tumors), and leukemia. Results There were 156 valid responses, consisting of 42 patients with retinoblastoma, 34 patients with nonretinoblastoma ( other solid tumors), and 80 patients with leukemia. Pandemic-related lifestyle changes did not significantly impact emotional or behavioral problems. Children with normal total SDQ (odds ratio [OR]: 473, p = 0.001) and emotional scores (OR: 3.19, p = 0.07) had parents with normal SRQ scores (<6). Leukemia patients with shorter diagnosis period had worse hyperactivity score ( p = 0.01). On the contrary, leukemia inpatients had better prosocial scores than outpatients (p = 0.03). More bilateral retinoblastoma patients (p = 0.04) with longer duration of cancer diagnosis (p = 0.03) faced peer problems.

Screen time and preschool children: Promoting health and development in a digital world.

COVID-19 transformed the family media environment and spurred research on the effects of screen media exposure and use on young children. This update of a 2017 CPS statement re-examines the potential benefits and risks of screen media in children younger than 5 years, with focus on developmental, psychosocial, and physical health. Four evidence-based principles-minimizing, mitigating, mindfully using, and modelling healthy use of screens-continue to guide children's early experience with a rapidly changing media landscape. Knowing how young children learn and develop informs best practice for health care providers and early years professionals (e.g., early childhood educators, child care providers). Anticipatory guidance should now include child and family screen use in (and beyond) pandemic conditions.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and quality of life in children with autism: insights from Romania and Greece.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated sedentarism in children, including those with autism. Given the importance of the topic for long-term health, this study aimed to explore the post-pandemic relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviours and quality of life (QOL) in children with autism from Romania and Greece. Methods: An online questionnaire collected information regarding physical activity levels in children and their parents, children's sedentary behaviours and QOL from 83 Romanian parents (m1age = 40.1; sd1age = 6.37) and 42 Greek parents (m2age = 39.5; sd2age = 5.45) between March and July 2022. Results: Most Greek children (95%) had 2 or 3 weekly hours of physical education at school/kindergarten, while only 64% of Romanian children had the same level of physical education. Romanian parents reported being more active (χ2weekdays= 33.7, df = 3, p < .001; (χ2leisure= 41.8, df = 2, p < .001) than the Greek counterparts. Contrary to expectations, the parents' physical activity did not correlate with the child's physical activity. Sedentary behaviour time was significantly higher in Greek than Romanian children during working days and the weekends. Sedentary behaviour during weekdays predicted the child' QOL. Conclusions: This exploratory study offers insight into Romanian and Greek children's patterns of physical and sedentary activities. The results stress the need to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours in children with autism from Romania and Greece. The practical implications and limits of this exploratory approach were further discussed.

The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents have extensive use of screens and, they have common complains related to mental health. Here a systematic review was done to understand the association between screen time and adolescent's mental health. METHOD: This review was conducted in compliance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - PRISMA. An update search was performed in January 2023 with the following keywords: "screen time," "adolescent," and "mental health" on PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus databases. RESULTS: 50 articles were included, most have found associations between screen exposure and mental health in adolescents. The most used device by adolescents was the smartphone and the use on weekdays was associated with diminished mental well-being. Social media use was negatively associated with mental well-being and, in girls, associated at higher risk for depression. CONCLUSION: Excessive screen time in adolescents seems associated with mental health problems. Given the profusion and disparity of the results, additional studies are needed to clarify elements such as the screen content or the interaction of adolescents with different screen devices. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022302817.

Study The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic Confinement On Body Weight In Young Adults Of 17-18 Yrs In Jaipur

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic hit INDIA in March 2020. This pandemic lead to confinement of students at home for more than a year. This influenced their dietary behaviours and physical activity along with increase in stress levels. The net result of pandemic was alterations in weight, increasing the risk of obesity and diseases associated with obesity especially in affluent class. AIMS and OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the effect of confinement on body weight in students of 17-18 yrs of Jaipur and to identify the contributory factors. Material and Methods: A school based, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out from January 2021 to june 2021involving 300 students in age group of 17-18 years studying in private school belonging to affluent class. Students were made to fill a proforma regarding their daily lifestyle and physical activities. Physical activity was evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Weight before the pandemic confinement was compared to the post confinement weight. Data was analysed using DATAtab Team (2023). DATAtab: Online Statistics Calculator. DATA tab e.U. Graz, Austria. URL https://datatab.net/ Results: More than 50% of students gained significant weight during the pandemic. Only one third of participants were moderately physically active. Factors contributing to weight gain included increased consumption of unhealthy food, altered sleep pattern, increased screen time and decreased physical activity. Conclusion: The study showed that confinement lead to significant weight gain in students of affluent class .The findings showed the short term effects of pandemic confinement. This study during Covid19 confinement will help the health authorities in understanding and implementing newer policies for healthy lifestyle when newer pandemics waves arrive. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results is the property of ResearchTrentz and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)