Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary schoolers' physical activity, sleep, screen time and diet: A quasi-experimental interrupted time series study.
Pediatr Obes
; 17(1): e12846, 2022 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1360494
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
COVID-19 school closures pose a threat to children's wellbeing, but no COVID-19-related studies have assessed children's behaviours over multiple years .OBJECTIVE:
To examine children's obesogenic behaviours during spring and summer of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous data collected from the same children during the same calendar period in the 2 years prior.METHODS:
Physical activity and sleep data were collected via Fitbit Charge-2 in 231 children (7-12 years) over 6 weeks during spring and summer over 3 years. Parents reported their child's screen time and dietary intake via a survey on 2-3 random days/week.RESULTS:
Children's behaviours worsened at a greater rate following the pandemic onset compared to pre-pandemic trends. During pandemic spring, sedentary behaviour increased (+79 min; 95% CI = 60.6, 97.1) and MVPA decreased (-10 min, 95% CI = -18.2, -1.1) compared to change in previous springs (2018-2019). Sleep timing shifted later (+124 min; 95% CI = 112.9, 135.5). Screen time (+97 min, 95% CI = 79.0, 115.4) and dietary intake increased (healthy +0.3 foods, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.5; unhealthy +1.2 foods, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.5). Similar patterns were observed during summer.CONCLUSIONS:
Compared to pre-pandemic measures, children's PA, sedentary behaviour, sleep, screen time, and diet were adversely altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may ultimately exacerbate childhood obesity.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pediatric Obesity
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Pediatr Obes
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijpo.12846
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