scholarly journals Global effect of COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep among 3- to 5-year-old children: a longitudinal study of 14 countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D. Okely ◽  
Katharina E. Kariippanon ◽  
Hongyan Guan ◽  
Ellie K. Taylor ◽  
Thomas Suesse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Parent Survey ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). Physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed via parent survey. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental stress were measured. Compliance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Global guidelines for PA (180 min/day [≥60 min moderate- vigorous PA]), SST (≤1 h/day) and sleep (10-13 h/day) for children under 5 years of age, was determined. Results Nine hundred- forty-eight parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were more likely to meet the PA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR] = 2.0, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0,3.8) and SST (AdjOR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.2,3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO Global guidelines (AdjOR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1,9.8) than those who were not. Children of parents with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three guidelines (AdjOR = 0.5, 95%CI 0.3,0.9). Conclusion PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring children can access an outdoor space, and supporting parents’ mental health are important prerequisites for enabling pre-schoolers to practice healthy movement behaviours and meet the Global guidelines.

scholarly journals Global effect of COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep among 3- to 5-year-old children: a longitudinal study of 14 countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Okely ◽  
Katharina Kariippanon ◽  
Hongyan Guan ◽  
Ellie Taylor ◽  
Thomas Suesse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Global Effect ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Parent Questionnaire ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Abstract Background: The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented restrictions on children’s ability to participate in adequate movement behaviours. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Parents of children aged 3-5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in physical activity, sedentary behaviour (screen-time) and sleep and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). PA, sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed via parent questionnaire. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental stress were measured. Results: 948 parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were more likely to meet the PA (AdjOR=2.0, 95%CI 1.0 to 3.8) and SST (2.2, CI 1.2 to 3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO recommendations (AdjOR 3.3, CI 1.1 to 9.8) than those who were not. Children of caregivers with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three guidelines (0.5, CI 0.3 to 0.9). Conclusion: PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring children can access an outdoor space, and supporting caregivers’ mental health are important prevention strategies.

Defining Preterm Birth and Stillbirth in the Western Pacific: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110260
Author(s):  
Mairead Connolly ◽  
Laura Phung ◽  
Elise Farrington ◽  
Michelle J. L. Scoullar ◽  
Alyce N. Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
National Level ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Preterm birth and stillbirth are important global perinatal health indicators. Definitions of these indicators can differ between countries, affecting comparability of preterm birth and stillbirth rates across countries. This study aimed to document national-level adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) definitions of preterm birth and stillbirth in the WHO Western Pacific region. A systematic search of government health websites and 4 electronic databases was conducted. Any official report or published study describing the national definition of preterm birth or stillbirth published between 2000 and 2020 was eligible for inclusion. A total of 58 data sources from 21 countries were identified. There was considerable variation in how preterm birth and stillbirth was defined across the region. The most frequently used lower gestational age threshold for viability of preterm birth was 28 weeks gestation (range 20-28 weeks), and stillbirth was most frequently classified from 20 weeks gestation (range 12-28 weeks). High-income countries more frequently used earlier gestational ages for preterm birth and stillbirth compared with low- to middle-income countries. The findings highlight the importance of clear, standardized, internationally comparable definitions for perinatal indicators. Further research is needed to determine the impact on regional preterm birth and stillbirth rates.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on the care of people living with noncommunicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: an online survey of physicians and pharmacists in nine countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Bullen ◽  
Jessica McCormack ◽  
Amanda Calder ◽  
Varsha Parag ◽  
Kannan Subramaniam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
World Health ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where people may have limited access to affordable quality care, the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to have a particularly adverse impact on the health and healthcare of individuals with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). A World Health Organization survey found that disruption of delivery of healthcare for NCDs was more significant in LMICs than in high-income countries. However, the study did not elicit insights into the day-to-day impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare by front-line healthcare workers (FLHCWs). Aim: To gain insights directly from FLHCWs working in countries with a high NCD burden, and thereby identify opportunities to improve the provision of healthcare during the current pandemic and in future healthcare emergencies. Methods: We recruited selected frontline healthcare workers (general practitioners, pharmacists, and other medical specialists) from nine countries to complete an online survey (n = 1347). Survey questions focused on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice and NCDs; barriers to clinical care during the pandemic; and innovative responses to the many challenges presented by the pandemic. Findings: The majority of FLHCWs responding to our survey reported that their care of patients had been impacted both adversely and positively by the public health measures imposed. Most FLHCs (95%) reported a deterioration in the mental health of their patients. Conclusions: Continuity of care for NCDs as part of pandemic preparedness is needed so that chronic conditions are not exacerbated by public health measures and the direct impacts of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Prevalence and correlates of adherence to movement guidelines among urban and rural children in Mozambique: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taru Manyanga ◽  
Joel D. Barnes ◽  
Jean-Philippe Chaput ◽  
Peter T. Katzmarzyk ◽  
Antonio Prista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Rural Children ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background Insufficient physical activity, short sleep duration, and excessive recreational screen time are increasing globally. Currently, there are little to no data describing prevalences and correlates of movement behaviours among children in low-middle-income countries. The few available reports do not include both urban and rural respondents, despite the large proportion of rural populations in low-middle-income countries. We compared the prevalence of meeting 24-h movement guidelines and examined correlates of meeting the guidelines in a sample of urban and rural Mozambican schoolchildren. Methods This is cross-sectional study of 9–11 year-old children (n = 683) recruited from 10 urban and 7 rural schools in Mozambique. Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sleep duration were measured by waist-worn Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Accelerometers were worn 24 h/day for up to 8 days. Recreational screen time was self-reported. Potential correlates of meeting 24-h movement guidelines were directly measured or obtained from validated items of context-adapted questionnaires. Multilevel multivariable logit models were used to determine the correlates of movement behaviours. Meeting 24-h movement guidelines was defined as ≥60 min/day of MVPA, ≤2 h/day of recreational screen time, and between 9 and 11 h/night of sleep. Results More rural (17.7%) than urban (3.6%) children met all three 24-h movement guidelines. Mean MVPA was lower (82.9 ± 29.5 min/day) among urban than rural children (96.7 ± 31.8 min/day). Rural children had longer sleep duration (8.9 ± 0.7 h/night) and shorter recreational screen time (2.7 ± 1.9 h/day) than their urban counterparts (8.7 ± 0.9 h/night and 5.0 ± 2.3 h/day respectively). Parental education (OR: 0.37; CI: 0.16–0.87), school location (OR: 0.21; CI: 0.09–0.52), and outdoor time (OR: 0.67; CI: 0.53–0.85) were significant correlates of meeting all three 24-h movement guidelines. Conclusions Prevalence and correlates of meeting movement guidelines differed between urban and rural schoolchildren in Mozambique. On average, both groups had higher daily MVPA minutes, shorter sleep duration, and higher recreational screen time than the 24-h movement guidelines recommend. These findings (e.g., higher than recommended mean daily MVPA minutes) differ from those from high-income countries and highlight the need to sample from both urban and rural areas.

scholarly journals Inequality in physical activity, global trends by income inequality and gender in adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chastin SFM ◽  
J. Van Cauwenberg ◽  
L. Maenhout ◽  
G. Cardon ◽  
E. V. Lambert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The World

Abstract Background Physical inactivity is a global pandemic associated with a high burden of disease and premature mortality. There is also a trend in growing economic inequalities which impacts population health. There is no global analysis of the relationship between income inequality and population levels of physical inactivity. Methods Two thousand sixteen World Health Organisation’s country level data about compliance with the 2010 global physical activity guidelines were analysed against country level income interquantile ratio data obtained from the World Bank, OECD and World Income Inequality Database. The analysis was stratified by country income (Low, Middle and High) according to the World Bank classification and gender. Multiple regression was used to quantify the association between physical activity and income inequality. Models were adjusted for GDP and percentage of GDP spent on health care for each country and out of pocket health care spent. Results Significantly higher levels of inactivity and a wider gap between the percentage of women and men meeting global physical activity guidelines were found in countries with higher income inequality in high and middle income countries irrespective of a country wealth and spend on health care. For example, in higher income countries, for each point increase in the interquantile ratio data, levels of inactivity in women were 3.73% (CI 0.89 6.57) higher, levels of inactivity in men were 2.04% (CI 0.08 4.15) higher and the gap in inactivity levels between women and men was 1.50% larger (CI 0.16 2.83). Similar relationships were found in middle income countries with lower effect sizes. These relationships were, however, not demonstrated in the low-income countries. Conclusions Economic inequalities, particularly in high- and middle- income countries might contribute to physical inactivity and might be an important factor to consider and address in order to combat the global inactivity pandemic and to achieve the World Health Organisation target for inactivity reduction.

Correlates of physical activity among community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years or older with anxiety in six low- and middle-income countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 705-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davy Vancampfort ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Mats Hallgren ◽  
Nicola Veronese ◽  
James Mugisha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
World Health ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Low And Middle Income

ABSTRACTBackground:Given the important health benefits of physical activity (PA) and the higher risk for physical inactivity in people with anxiety, and the high prevalence of anxiety and low PA among the elderly, there is a need for research to investigate what factors influence PA participation among anxious older individuals. We investigated PA correlates among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 years with anxiety symptoms in six low- and middle-income countries.Methods:Cross-sectional data from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health were analyzed. PA level was assessed by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. 980 participants with anxiety (mean age 73.3 years; 62.4% females) were grouped into those who do and do not (low PA) meet the 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA per week recommendation. Associations between PA and the correlates were examined using multivariable logistic regressions.Results:The prevalence of low PA was 44.9% (95% CI = 39.2–50.7%). Older age, male gender, less consumption of alcohol, mild cognitive impairment, pain, a wide range of somatic co-morbidities, slow gait, weak grip strength, poor self-rated health, and lower levels of social cohesion were identified as significant positive correlates of low PA.Conclusions:Our data illustrate that a number of sociodemographic and health factors are associated with PA levels among older people with symptoms of anxiety. The promotion of social cohesion may increase the efficacy of public health initiatives, while from a clinical perspective, somatic co-morbidities, cognitive impairment, pain, muscle strength, and slow gait need to be considered.

scholarly journals International study of 24-h movement behaviors of early years (SUNRISE): a pilot study from Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Sorowar Hossain ◽  
Iztiba M. Deeba ◽  
Mahmudul Hasan ◽  
Katharina E. Kariippanon ◽  
Kar Hau Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Early Years ◽  
World Health ◽  
Who Guidelines ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) released guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep for children under 5 years of age in 2019. In response to these guidelines, this pilot study aimed to (i) determine the proportion of preschool children (ages 3-4 years) who met the WHO guidelines; (ii) examine the feasibility of the proposed protocol for the SUNRISE study; and (iii) assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on movement behaviors of preschool children in Bangladesh. Methods Time spent in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep were objectively measured using two types of accelerometers (ActiGraph wGT3x-BT and ActivPAL4). Screen time and sleep quality were assessed via parent questionnaire. Fine and gross motor skills were measured using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (3rd edition). Three executive functions were assessed using the Early Years Toolbox. Focus groups were conducted with parents and childcare staff to determine the feasibility of the protocol. Follow-up data during COVID-19 pandemic was collected from parents over phone. Results Data from 63 preschool-aged children and their parents was analyzed in this pilot study. Only three children (4.7%) met all components of the WHO guidelines. Separately, children meeting physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep guidelines were 71.9%, 17.5%, and 59.7% respectively. The proportion of all children who were developmentally on-track for the gross and fine motor skills was 58.7% and 50.8%, respectively. Parents and educators reported that the protocol was feasible except for the activPAL-4 accelerometer. Approximately, 39% of children (14 out of 37) who wore this device developed itchy skin and rashes resulting in the suspension of using this device mid-way through data collection. During COVID-19, there was a significant decrease in children’s total physical activity (− 193 min/day), and time spent outside on weekdays (− 75 min/day) and weekend days (− 131 min/day) and a significant increase in sedentary screen time (+85 min/day). Conclusion Only a low proportion of children met the WHO guidelines. Methods and devices (except ActivPAL4) used in this pilot study proved to be feasible and this has paved the way to conduct the main SUNRISE study in Bangladesh. Future measures should be taken to address the issue of movement behaviors of children during the time of pandemics like COVID-19.

scholarly journals The GOLD Summit on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low- and middle-income countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1131-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. G. Halpin ◽  
B. R. Celli ◽  
G. J. Criner ◽  
P. Frith ◽  
M. V. López Varela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top three causes of death worldwide, but governments and non-governmental organisations have not given its prevention and treatment the priority it requires. This is particularly true in low- and middle-income countries, where most of the people suffering from this disease live. The United Nations (UN) has targeted a reduction of premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by a third by 2030; however, a coordinated UN/World Health Organization (WHO) strategy to address the burden of COPD (one of the most important NCDs) is still lacking. To explore the extent of the problem and inform the development of policies to improve the situation, the Board of Directors of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) held a 1-day Summit. The key themes that emerged were the need to ensure accurate data on prevalence, raise awareness of the disease among the public, healthcare professionals and governments, including the fact that COPD aetiology goes beyond smoking (and other inhaled pollutants) and includes poor lung development in early life, and ensure that spirometry and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies are available and affordable. Here, we present the actions that must be taken to address the impact of COPD. We believe that the WHO is particularly well-positioned to co-ordinate an attack on COPD, and GOLD will do all it can to help and rally support.

scholarly journals Parents’ Report of Canadian Elementary School Children’s Physical Activity and Screen Time during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12352
Author(s):  
Emma Ostermeier ◽  
Patricia Tucker ◽  
Andrew Clark ◽  
Jamie A. Seabrook ◽  
Jason Gilliland
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Rank Tests ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Signed Rank ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

COVID-19 public health protocols have altered children’s daily routines, limiting their physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s (ages 10–12 years) physical activity and screen time, and to explore the impact of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and public health constraints (i.e., facility use and social interaction) on the changes in children’s health behaviors. Online surveys were disseminated to parents at two time points: before COVID-19 (May 2019 to February 2020) and during COVID-19 (November to December 2020). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes in physical activity and screen time, and for subgroup analyses. Parents (n = 95) reported declines in children’s physical activity (Z = −2.53, p = 0.01, d = 0.18), and increases in weekday (Z = −4.61, p < 0.01, d = 0.33) and weekend screen time (Z = −3.79, p < 0.01, d = 0.27). Significant changes in physical activity and screen time behaviors were identified between gender, SES, and facility use groups. All social interaction groups underwent significant changes in screen time. Overall, COVID-19 protocols have negatively influenced children’s physical activity and screen time. Due to the negative consequences of inactivity and excessive screen time, resources must be made available to support families during the pandemic.

The Impact of Funding Insulin Research on Open Access Publishing: A 20-Years Bibliometric Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 497-502
Author(s):  
Hiba Abbasi ◽  
Noor Abu-Farsakh ◽  
Farah Abuazzam ◽  
Rasha Halaseh ◽  
Othman Alaraj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
World Health ◽  
European Research ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Funded Research ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Background:: The recent report of The World Health Organization on diabetes has stressed on the burden of diabetes on low/middle income countries. Recent studies advocated the importance of funding more research on diabetes and insulin in these countries. Recently, the European Research Council advocated the importance of gold Open Access (OA) publishing, where the funded research should be immediately accessible. In this study, we aim to assess funding for insulin research, where we will compare the OA status between funded and unfunded research. Methods:: We used Scopus database to assess insulin research published from January 1st, 1999 to December 31st, 2018. Our bibliometric analysis consisted of three main sections: analysis of all publications on insulin, analysis of funded insulin publications, and analysis of unfunded insulin publications. Results:: We found a total of 388,202 publications, of which only 83,180 (21.4%) were funded. USA produced around 30.1% of the total publications, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) was the major funder with 18.6% of all publications. Of the funded publications, 29,143 (35%) were OA publications, compared to 97,347 (31.9%) of the unfunded publications. We didn’t find a significant difference in OA status between funded and unfunded research. Conclusion:: In concordance with the European Research Council’s decision to support gold OA publishing model, we found that only 35% of the funded and 31.9% of the unfunded insulin research were OA. Although the funded research is increasing in China, most of it is produced in high income countries. This highlights the importance of allocating more funds to low/middle income countries.

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