Analysis of physical and leisure practices carried out by scholars during lockdown

ABSTRACT

The decrease in physical activity among adolescents has become a global health problem. From the educational point of view, preventing sedentarism is of uttermost importance to avoid repercussions on economic and social levels. This study aims to analyze the characteristics and time dedicated to physical and leisure activities by adolescent during the lockdown caused by COVID-19 (2019, April 1 to May 1). The Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire was used telematically on 4070 Canarian high school students (M=15.01;SD=3.53 years) during lockdown. 83.13% of the sample did not follow the WHO recommendations regarding physical activity, 63.64% did not keep ACSM recommendations to passive leisure, and 37% did not respect those regarding sleeping time. Likewise, as age increased there was a decrease in the amount of time dedicated to physical activity and thus failure to follow the recommendations of the relevant institutions. Also the time allotted to passive leisure was M=3.55 (SD=2.75) hours per day. It is concluded that the time dedicated to physical activity is insufficient according to the official bodies like as the use of screens acquires great predominance in the employment of adolescents' free time, causing the need to consider future interventions to mitigate the sedentarism level and its consequences.