Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep Duration of Children Aged 6–9 Years in 25 Countries: An Analysis within the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) 2015–2017

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Children are becoming less physically active as opportunities for safe active play, recreational activities, and active transport decrease. At the same time, sedentary screen-based activities both during school and leisure time are increasing. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> This study aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration of girls and boys aged 6–9 years in Europe using data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). <b><i>Method:</i></b> The fourth COSI data collection round was conducted in 2015–2017, using a standardized protocol that included a family form completed by parents with specific questions about their children’s PA, screen time, and sleep duration. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Nationally representative data from 25 countries was included and information on the PA behaviour, screen time, and sleep duration of 150,651 children was analysed. Pooled analysis showed that: 79.4% were actively playing for >1 h each day, 53.9% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 50.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 60.2% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 84.9% slept for 9–11 h/night. Country-specific analyses of these behaviours showed pronounced differences, with national prevalences in the range of 61.7–98.3% actively playing for >1 h/day, 8.2–85.6% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 17.7–94.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 32.3–80.0% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 50.0–95.8% slept for 9–11 h/night. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The prevalence of engagement in PA and the achievement of healthy screen time and sleep duration are heterogenous across the region. Policymakers and other stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, should increase opportunities for young people to participate in daily PA as well as explore solutions to address excessive screen time and short sleep duration to improve the overall physical and mental health and well-being of children.

Children's Daily Routine Response to COVID-19 Emergency Measures in Serbia

“…It shows that physically active children had less anxiety, worry, nervousness, and sensitive behavior during the pandemic. This finding is consistent with previous research indicating that PA reduces, among other things, anxiety and the risk of obesity and early metabolic risk factors (24)(25)(26)(27). Additionally, during childhood, PA levels tend to impact adolescence and adulthood, which is another reason for regular PA in childhood (24,28).…”

“…This finding is consistent with previous research indicating that PA reduces, among other things, anxiety and the risk of obesity and early metabolic risk factors (24)(25)(26)(27). Additionally, during childhood, PA levels tend to impact adolescence and adulthood, which is another reason for regular PA in childhood (24,28). School achievement directly affected the variable study time, showing that better students spent more time studying or searching for study materials during the EM.…”

Effects of COVID-19 Confinement on the Household Routines Of Children in Portugal

“…In a study with 16 countries published in 2015 (Shaw et al 2015), Portugal ranked in 14th place, along with Italy and just before South Africa, as the countries with less independent mobility. More recently, results from the WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), which provide an overview of the PA habits of children in the WHO European Region, showed that Portuguese children were the ones with the lowest levels of active travel to school (Whiting et al 2020). Conversely, although most Portuguese children spent about 1 h a day watching TV or using electronic devices, their levels of screen time involvement were not as high as in most other countries (Whiting et al 2020).…”

Screen Time and Parents’ Education Level Are Associated with Poor Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The PASOS Study

“…Numerous studies have examined the relationship between time spent on passive entertainment such as television, mobile telephones, or video games and the presence of or predisposition to childhood and adolescent obesity [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. However, few studies have been conducted on screen time and its association with eating patterns [46][47][48].…”