Impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak on movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth: A national survey

Abstract

Background: Healthy child and youth development is fostered through sufficient physical activity (PA; including time outdoors), limiting sedentary behaviours (SB), and adequate sleep; collectively known as movement behaviours. Though the COVID-19 virus outbreak has changed the daily lives of children and youth, it is unknown to what extent related restrictions may compromise the ability to play and meet movement behaviour recommendations. This study examined the immediate impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on movement and play behaviours in children and youth.Methods: A national sample of Canadian parents (n=1,472) of children (5-11 years) or youth (12-17 years) (54% girls) completed an online survey that assessed immediate changes in child movement and play behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak. Behaviours included PA and play, SB, and sleep. Family demographics and parental factors that may influence movement behaviours were assessed. Correlations between behaviours and demographic and parental factors were determined. For open-ended questions, word frequency distributions were reported.Results: Only 4.8% (2.8% girls, 6.5% boys) of children and 0.8% (1.1% girls, 0.5% boys) of youth were meeting combined movement behaviour guidelines during COVID-19 restrictions. Children and youth had lower PA levels, less outside time, higher SB (including screen time), and more sleep during the outbreak. Parental encouragement and support, parental engagement in PA, and family dog ownership were positively associated with healthy movement behaviours. Although families spent less time in PA and more time in SB, several parents reported adopting new hobbies or accessing new resources.Conclusions: This study provides evidence of immediate collateral consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating an adverse impact on the movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth. These findings can guide efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.

COVID-19 Pandemic Brings a Sedentary Lifestyle in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study

“…Our finding of a decrease in all types of PA (i.e., MPA, VPA and walking) after the COVID-19 outbreak are consistent with a recent national survey in Canada, which reported a significant decline in all physical activities in children and adolescents [ 15 ]. The cross-sectional analysis also revealed the low volume of PA that participants engaged in during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an average of 3 min/day spent in MPA and 17 min/day walking.…”

“…This is consistent with a national survey, which reported that daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 h (28.6%) per day during home confinement [ 18 ]. Similarly, children and adolescents in both Shanghai and Canada engaged in more than 5 h of screen time per day [ 14 , 15 ]. This may be partially explained by young adults engaging in social distancing by staying home, and online teaching, which subsequently resulted in prolonged screen time, such as elevated time spent watching TV, playing computer games, and online teaching [ 13 ].…”

“…A longitudinal study from Shanghai, China found that children and adolescents engaged in 435 min less PA and spent 28 more hours in screen time per week since the COVID-19 outbreak [ 14 ]. A national survey in Canada also found that children and youths had lower PA levels, higher SB (including leisure screen time), and more sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 15 ]. Similar results have been reported for adults, such as a negative change in PA and sleep in Australia [ 16 ], and 40.5% of inactive Canadians becoming less active [ 17 ].…”

Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors in the Bangladeshi population during the COVID-19 pandemic: An online cross-sectional survey

“…The government declared a nationwide lockdown from March 26 to May 30, with a 7 th extension being recently announced [ 17 , 18 ]. Previous studies investigated the impact of COVID-19 on physical activity in different age clusters and in different regions [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Reports have indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic-related public health restrictions appear to have led to reductions in physical activity [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

Measures to maintain regular operations and prevent outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in childcare facilities or schools under pandemic conditions and co-circulation of other respiratory pathogens

“…The currently available data speak in favour of a strategy of future prevention concepts differentiated according to the age of the children and adolescents in order to minimise the risk of infection events, to limit them and to prevent the blanket closure of day-care centres and schools as a first measure [ 38 ], [ 39 ], [ 40 ]. Continuous attendance at a day-care centre [ 41 ] or school is not only essential for the sustainable educational success of the next generation, but also for healthy and successful development through social contacts, developmental tasks and challenges [ 42 ], [ 43 ], [ 44 ], [ 45 ]. In addition, it leads to a relief of the families and also to a release of the labour force of the persons having custody (compared to the continuous care of small children at home or the digital home-schooling of school children) [ 46 ], [ 47 ], [ 48 ], [ 49 ], [ 50 ], [ 51 ], [ 52 ].…”