The Impact of COVID-19 on Preschool-Aged Children’s Movement Behaviors in Hong Kong: A Longitudinal Analysis of Accelerometer-Measured Data

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many preschool-aged children were forced to remain indoors due to social distancing measures and school closures. In this study, we examined how children’s movement behaviors (sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and sleep) were affected by the pandemic. Children’s (N = 25, age = 4.4 years, SD = 0.3) movement behaviors were measured before and after the COVID outbreak, respectively. Data collected using accelerometers were analyzed using compositional data analyses. A significant change in the overall time-use composition (F = 5.89, p = 0.002) was found. Results suggested that children spent more time sleeping (8% increase) and in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (16% increase), with less time spent in sedentary behaviors (9% decrease). However, parent reports suggested that children were less active and had more screen time. In conclusion, the current evidence suggests that children’s physical activity is not negatively impacted by the pandemic. However, the continuous surveillance of movement behaviors of young children during the pandemic is needed.

Play–Sleep Nexus in Indonesian Preschool Children before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In the present study, weekly playtime was reduced while weekly sleep remained unchanged. These observations are in agreement with parent-reported data by researchers in another study who studied physical activity and sleep among preschoolers living in Hong Kong, but is also contrasted with accelerometer-derived physical activity and sleep data in the same group of 25 preschoolers [ 21 ]. The similarities and differences between the two studies could plausibly be explained by the different contexts between the countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the use of questionnaires versus accelerometers to obtain physical activity and sleep data.…”

“…It should be noted that not all the studies show similar results. While parent reports suggest that preschool children were less physically active, slept less, and spent more time being sedentary, Ng et al (2021) reported that preschool children increased MVPA by 16%, spent 8% more time sleeping, and spent 9% less time engaging in sedentary behaviors—assessed using an accelerometer—during the COVID-19 pandemic than before [ 21 ].…”

“…Various studies demonstrating an association between play and sleep particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic are emerging and have provided different interpretations. For instance, preschool children were sleeping 8% more and were engaged in 16% more moderate to vigorous physical activity, assessed using accelerometers, while parent-reported data showed that these same children were less physically active and had more screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 21 ]. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic, the number of preschool children adhering to the WHO’s recommended hours of sleep generally decreased during the pandemic, and with a significant decrease in compliance to the recommended hours of screen time [ 22 , 23 ].…”

On the Move or Barely Moving? Age-Related Changes in Physical Activity, Sedentary, and Sleep Behaviors by Weekday/Weekend Following Pandemic Control Policies

“…Since LPA may be important for students’ academic outcomes [ 26 ], future research should seek to improve elementary and middle school students’ LPA when not in school settings. Alternatively, preschoolers’ LPA changes were not significant, but their weekday LPA remained about the same, which is in line with another study that found no change in preschoolers’ LPA from pre- to early-pandemic [ 27 ].…”

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors in Primary School Children in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Association with Parents’ Behaviors

“…According to another systematic review and meta-analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic children’s inactive time increased by 159 min per day [ 14 ]. However, not all previous studies have reported a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s PA. Few studies have found that PA levels in children and adolescents increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with pre-pandemic levels [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Among Saudi adults, self-reported data showed that 52% of the study sample ( n = 2255) reported a decrease in their daily PA during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 18 ].…”