The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences
Abstract Background The World Health Organization stated an average of 60 min of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) that children should accumulate every day. Nevertheless physical inactivity is growing and, due to restrictions imposed during pandemic, PA levels of children might be more...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12483-0 |
| _version_ | 1798034530828812288 |
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| author | Laura Dallolio Sofia Marini Alice Masini Stefania Toselli Rita Stagni Maria Cristina Bisi Davide Gori Alessia Tessari Alessandra Sansavini Marcello Lanari Laura Bragonzoni Andrea Ceciliani |
| author_facet | Laura Dallolio Sofia Marini Alice Masini Stefania Toselli Rita Stagni Maria Cristina Bisi Davide Gori Alessia Tessari Alessandra Sansavini Marcello Lanari Laura Bragonzoni Andrea Ceciliani |
| author_sort | Laura Dallolio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The World Health Organization stated an average of 60 min of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) that children should accumulate every day. Nevertheless physical inactivity is growing and, due to restrictions imposed during pandemic, PA levels of children might be more negatively affected. The study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the PA of an Italian sample of primary school children by comparing it before and during COVID-19 considering gender differences. Methods A pre-post analysis (October 2019–January 2021) was conducted using a randomized sample (N = 77) from the I-MOVE study settled in an Italian primary school. Both objective (Actigraph accelerometers) and self-reported (PAQ-c questionnaires) assessments of PA were performed. Changes were compared using T-Student and Chi-Square test. Gender differences were calculated using Anova. Results Weekly and daily minutes time spent in MVPA significantly decreased respectively by − 30.59 ± 120.87 and − 15.32 ± 16.21 from before to during pandemic while the weekly time spent in sedentary behaviour increased (+ 1196.01 ± 381.49). PAQ-c scores followed the same negative trend (− 0.87 ± 0.72). Boys seem to have suffered more than girls from the imposed restrictions. Conclusion These findings outline the need for strategies to promote PA and reduce sedentary behaviours in children to prevent COVID-19 restriction long-term effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:45:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8ec533954ff4baeb4cf637f7a4810a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:45:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8ec533954ff4baeb4cf637f7a4810a72022-12-22T04:04:03ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-01-012211810.1186/s12889-021-12483-0The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differencesLaura Dallolio0Sofia Marini1Alice Masini2Stefania Toselli3Rita Stagni4Maria Cristina Bisi5Davide Gori6Alessia Tessari7Alessandra Sansavini8Marcello Lanari9Laura Bragonzoni10Andrea Ceciliani11Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of BolognaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi” University of BolognaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi” University of BolognaDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of BolognaDepartment of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of BolognaDepartment of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of BolognaPediatric Emergency Unit, S. Orsola University Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di BolognaDepartment for Life Quality Studies, University of BolognaDepartment for Life Quality Studies, University of BolognaAbstract Background The World Health Organization stated an average of 60 min of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) that children should accumulate every day. Nevertheless physical inactivity is growing and, due to restrictions imposed during pandemic, PA levels of children might be more negatively affected. The study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the PA of an Italian sample of primary school children by comparing it before and during COVID-19 considering gender differences. Methods A pre-post analysis (October 2019–January 2021) was conducted using a randomized sample (N = 77) from the I-MOVE study settled in an Italian primary school. Both objective (Actigraph accelerometers) and self-reported (PAQ-c questionnaires) assessments of PA were performed. Changes were compared using T-Student and Chi-Square test. Gender differences were calculated using Anova. Results Weekly and daily minutes time spent in MVPA significantly decreased respectively by − 30.59 ± 120.87 and − 15.32 ± 16.21 from before to during pandemic while the weekly time spent in sedentary behaviour increased (+ 1196.01 ± 381.49). PAQ-c scores followed the same negative trend (− 0.87 ± 0.72). Boys seem to have suffered more than girls from the imposed restrictions. Conclusion These findings outline the need for strategies to promote PA and reduce sedentary behaviours in children to prevent COVID-19 restriction long-term effects.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12483-0Physical inactivityChildrenCOVID-19AccelerometerSedentary behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Laura Dallolio Sofia Marini Alice Masini Stefania Toselli Rita Stagni Maria Cristina Bisi Davide Gori Alessia Tessari Alessandra Sansavini Marcello Lanari Laura Bragonzoni Andrea Ceciliani The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences BMC Public Health Physical inactivity Children COVID-19 Accelerometer Sedentary behaviour |
| title | The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| title_full | The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| title_fullStr | The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| title_short | The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behaviour in Italian primary school children: a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 on physical activity behaviour in italian primary school children a comparison before and during pandemic considering gender differences |
| topic | Physical inactivity Children COVID-19 Accelerometer Sedentary behaviour |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12483-0 |
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