scholarly journals Reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour: the damage on young people during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-68
Author(s):  
Alison Owen ◽  
Kathryn Bould

Healthy childhood development is fostered through movement behaviours, including sufficient physical activity. This article reviews some of the recently published global studies that have examined the impact of COVID-19 on children's physical activity and sedentary behaviours, the majority of which have indicated that children's physical activity behaviours have lessened significantly during these times, while their sedentary behaviours have risen significantly. The authors make some suggestions for ways to encourage and foster physical activity in both children and their families, for example by showing people different ways of staying active and offering other opportunities for physical activity, as well as ensuring the feeling of staying safe and being protected.

Author(s):  
Chris Kite ◽  
Lukasz Lagojda ◽  
Cain C. T. Clark ◽  
Olalekan Uthman ◽  
Francesca Denton ◽  
...  

Prolonged lockdown/restriction measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have reportedly impacted opportunities to be physically active for a large proportion of the population in affected countries globally. The exact changes to physical activity and sedentary behaviours due to these measures have not been fully studied. Accordingly, the objective of this PROSPERO-registered systematic review is to evaluate the available evidence on physical activity and sedentary behaviours in the general population during COVID-19-related lockdown/restriction measures, compared to prior to restrictions being in place. Defined searches to identify eligible studies published in English, from November 2019 up to the date of submission, will be conducted using the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PSYCinfo, Coronavirus Research Database, Public Health Database, Publicly Available Content Database, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. The applied inclusion criteria were selected to identify observational studies with no restrictions placed on participants, with outcomes regarding physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour during lockdown/restriction measures, and with comparisons for these outcomes to a time when no such measures were in place. Where appropriate, results from included studies will be pooled and effect estimates will be presented in random effects meta-analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first systematic review to evaluate one complete year of published data on the impact of COVID-19-related lockdown/restriction measures on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis will constitute the most up-to-date synthesis of published evidence on any such documented changes, and so will comprehensively inform clinical practitioners, public health agencies, researchers, policymakers and the general public regarding the effects of lockdown/restriction measures on both physical activity and sedentary behaviour.


2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 638-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin Scott Kehler

Physical activity and sedentary behaviours are associated with frailty. However, it is unknown if different accumulation patterns of these behaviours are linked with frailty. Four studies were conducted: the first 3 determined if bouts of moderate–vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and patterns of sedentary behaviours were associated with frailty (study 1), and if sex (study 2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) status (study 3) affected these associations. Study 4 systematically reviewed the evidence to determine if preoperative physical activity and sedentary behaviours were linked to postcardiac surgical outcomes. Studies 1–3 used accelerometer data from the 2003–2004/2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Bouted (≥10 min) and sporadic (<10 min) durations of MVPA were analyzed based on meeting a proportion of the physical activity guidelines of 150 min/week. Prolonged sedentary behaviours were measured in bouts lasting ≥30 min. Breaks from sedentary behaviour were any ≥1 min interruption in sedentary time. Average intensity and duration during breaks were analyzed. Frailty was measured with a 46-item frailty index (FI). Study 4 included investigations that linked preoperative physical activity behaviours to postoperative health outcomes. The first 3 studies revealed that sporadic and bouted MVPA were associated with a lower FI. Meeting 1%–49% of the physical activity guidelines had a protective association with frailty. Prolonged sedentary bouts had a more detrimental association with frailty in females than males. Bouted MVPA was associated with a lower FI in CVD participants but not in those without CVD. Average break intensity was associated with a lower FI across studies. Average break duration was associated with frailty in males and in those with CVD. Study 4 included 11 articles, which reported inconsistent findings in relation to self-reported physical activity behaviour and postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients. No studies analyzed sedentary behaviour or frailty. Data from this thesis suggest that bouts of MVPA and patterns of sedentary behaviours are associated with frailty, and support the need to limit extended periods of sedentary time and promote a physically active lifestyle. Studies are needed to determine if preoperative physical activity and sedentary behaviours are associated with postcardiac surgical frailty.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 372-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna C.W. De Vos ◽  
Dorita Du Toit ◽  
Dané Coetzee

Background: Worldwide, the health risks of decreasing physical activity levels and increasing sedentary behaviour among adolescents are a raising concern.Objective: To determine the types and levels of physical activity as well as that of sedentary behaviour of a group Senior Phase learners in South Africa.Methods: The adapted Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS) questionnaire was used for determining the types and levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour of 230 Grade 7 learners, from three schools in Potchefstroom. Data were analysed by means of the SAS statistics programme, and descriptive statistics, as well as independent t-tests andeffect sizes (ES) were used.Results: Moderate to high-intensity physical activity levels of between 334 and 361 min per week were found, and sedentary behaviour of between 3077 and 3410 min per week, which implies that between 70.7% and 71.9% of the participants, did not meet the recommended health-based guidelines. Higher activity levels were shown during weekends, where the boys were significantly more active than girls (p < 0.001; ES between 0.21 and 0.56), and girls showed more sedentary behaviours than the boys (ES between 0.18 and 0.20). The leisure time physical activities with the highest participation were soccer, recreational swimming, jogging and dancing, while the sedentary activities were listening to music, riding a vehicle and being busy on the phone.Conclusion: Strategies need to be implemented to raise the physical activity levels of Senior Phase learners, especially during weekdays, and to decrease sedentary behaviour. With this view in mind, recommendations are made for Physical Education teachers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 413-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Hallgren ◽  
Thi-Thuy-Dung Nguyen ◽  
Neville Owen ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Davy Vancampfort ◽  
...  

BackgroundSedentary behaviour can be associated with poor mental health, but it remains unclear whether all types of sedentary behaviour have equivalent detrimental effects.AimsTo model the potential impact on depression of replacing passive with mentally active sedentary behaviours and with light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. An additional aim was to explore these relationships by self-report data and clinician diagnoses of depression.MethodIn 1997, 43 863 Swedish adults were initially surveyed and their responses linked to patient registers until 2010. The isotemporal substitution method was used to model the potential impact on depression of replacing 30 min of passive sedentary behaviour with equivalent durations of mentally active sedentary behaviour, light physical activity or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Outcomes were self-reported depression symptoms (cross-sectional analyses) and clinician-diagnosed incident major depressive disorder (MDD) (prospective analyses).ResultsOf 24 060 participants with complete data (mean age 49.2 years, s.d. 15.8, 66% female), 1526 (6.3%) reported depression symptoms at baseline. There were 416 (1.7%) incident cases of MDD during the 13-year follow-up. Modelled cross-sectionally, replacing 30 min/day of passive sedentary behaviour with 30 min/day of mentally active sedentary behaviour, light physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous activity reduced the odds of depression symptoms by 5% (odds ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.94–0.97), 13% (odds ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–1.00) and 19% (odds ratio 0.81, 95% CI 0.93–0.90), respectively. Modelled prospectively, substituting 30 min/day of passive with 30 min/day of mentally active sedentary behaviour reduced MDD risk by 5% (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.91–0.99); no other prospective associations were statistically significant.ConclusionsSubstituting passive with mentally active sedentary behaviours, light activity or moderate-to-vigorous activity may reduce depression risk in adults.


Author(s):  
Aida Carballo-Fazanes ◽  
Javier Rico-Díaz ◽  
Roberto Barcala-Furelos ◽  
Ezequiel Rey ◽  
José E. Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
...  

University students, as a result of their lifestyles, represent a section of the population that is most likely to adopt sedentary behaviours. The aim of the present study was to analyse the determining factors dictating the performance of physical activity as well as sedentary behaviour among university students. A total of 608 students (64.6% women) from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) were selected by stratified random sampling to take part in the study, which involved completing a questionnaire on lifestyle and physical activity. Of the participating students, 69.6% indicated that they performed physical activity; the main reasons given were to maintain fitness and for health, while a lack of time and laziness were the principal reasons given for abandoning or not taking up physical exercise. Significant associations were established between not doing physical activity and the time exposed to screens, time studying, feeling low and smoking; on the other hand, associations could be seen between doing physical activity and the participation of relatives (parents, mothers, partners, older siblings and friends) in physical activity, as well as a positive sense of satisfaction relating to physical education taught in schools. In conclusion, most of the university students did some physical activity, which was associated with less sedentary behaviour, while the influence of school physical education and of the habits of relatives played an important role.


2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 896-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Uijtdewilligen ◽  
J. Nauta ◽  
A. S. Singh ◽  
W. van Mechelen ◽  
J. W. R. Twisk ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1179-1183
Author(s):  
Geeta Sharma ◽  
Tom Stewart ◽  
Scott Duncan

Background: Curriculum-integrated dance programs are a promising but relatively under-researched strategy for increasing children’s physical activity (PA). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of a curriculum-integrated dance program on children’s PA. Methods: A total of 134 primary children aged 7–9 years from 4 New Zealand schools were assigned to either a dance group (n = 78) or a control group (n = 56). The dance group participated in a 6-week curriculum-integrated dance program during school time. Although the dance program focused on curricular learning, fitness and coordination were embedded in the dance sessions. Intensity of PA varied according to the focus of each dance session. PA was measured at baseline and postintervention using a waist-mounted ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer for 8 consecutive days. Results: There were no significant intervention effects on PA levels between the dance and control groups postintervention. Conclusion: Dance-embedded learning did not increase overall levels of PA in this study. Future studies may consider assessing longer term effects of a dance-based intervention, or programs that place more focus on PA promotion.


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