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- Correlates of children's physical activity during the COVID-19 confinement in PortugalPublication . Pombo, André; Luz, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis P.; Ferreira, C.; Cordovil, R.Objectives: The aim of the study was to understand the role of household variables on the percentage of physical activity (%PA) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement in Portugal. Study design: A cross-sectional study design using an anonymous online survey was launched to assess how Portuguese families with children aged younger than 13 years adjusted their daily routines to the confinement. Methods: Separate analyses of variance were performed to investigate how factors such as the number of children, age, sex, the housing characteristics, and the adults' job situation can affect the percentage of time for PA (%PA). Results: Findings, based on data from 2159 children, indicate that (1) boys and girls did not differ in the %PA on any of the age-groups; (2) children with an outdoor space and who had other children in the household were significantly more active (P < .001); (3) children from families with all adults working from home showed lower levels of %PA; and (4) being younger, having a big outdoor space, having other children in the household, and having at least one adult free from working from home were significant positive predictors of children's %PA, explaining 21% of the overall variance. Conclusion: Time allocated for PA during this period is reduced compared with what is usually reported on normal days. It is necessary to find strategies to increase children's PA, especially in families in which both parents are working and have no outdoor space.
- Influences of family and household characteristics on children’s level of physical activity during social distancing due to covid-19 in BrazilPublication . Siegle, Cristhina; Pombo, André; Luz, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis P.; Cordovil, R.; Sá, CristinaObjective: To evaluate if the variables child’s sex, age, presence of siblings, parents working remotely, and external space affect the level of physical activity (PA) of Brazilian children during social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online questionnaire was applied by the LimeSurvey software from March to April 2020. Children were divided into four age groups, and the questionnaire comprised questions on family and household characteristics, domestic and children’s routines in the period of Brazilian social distancing. Based on the answers concerning children’s activities, the following variable was created: percentage of physical activity (%PA) in one-day period. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were performed to investigate the effect of demographic and parental activities on %PA. Results: The %PA decreases with increasing age, but increases with the availability of external space at home. No significant or interaction effects were observed for other variables. Age and external space at home are predictors of %PA. Conclusions: Household and personal characteristics of Brazilian children influence the level of physical activity performed by them during social
- Effects of the COVID- 19 pandemic on preschool children and preschools in PortugalPublication . Cordovil, R.; Ribeiro, Luís; Moreira, Mariana; Pombo, André; Rodrigues, Luís Paulo; Luz, Carlos; Veiga, Guida; Lopes, FredericoProblem Statement:The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the life routines of preschool children, both during lockdown and post-lockdown periods. Approach:An online survey completed by parents, in-loco assessment scales filled in by a researcherand semi-structured interviews with preschool teacherswere used to investigate the effects of the adjustments, which occurred in preschool children’s lives, in the lockdown and post lockdown periods.Purpose:To characterize the levels of physical activity that Portuguese children had during the lockdown period and to understand what changed in their school routines in the post-lockdown period, regarding the organization of school spaces and routines.Results:Parents reported that children aged 3 to 5spent most of their time during lockdownundertaking sedentary activities (72% of their daily activities). In the post-lockdown period,results indicate that in June there was an increase in the number of preschools with a poor quality of environment compared to the pre-pandemic period (October/November).Taking into account the measures implemented in preschools to prevent the COVID-19 transmission,teachers were of the opinion that limiting the number of children sharing material was the worst measure imposed, since it hampered children’s socialization. Conversely, increasing the use of the outdoor space was deemed positive because it improved children’s happiness and action possibilities outside.Conclusions: TheCOVID-19pandemic has had a clear impact on Portuguese children’s overall levels of physical activity during lockdown. In some schools, the implementation of health guidelines has also led to further negative effects on children’s play opportunities. However, many schools seem to be successful in finding strategies to ensure a healthy balance between promoting children’s physical activity and ensuring risk control.
- Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Portuguese Children’s Motor CompetencePublication . Pombo, André; Luz, Carlos; Sá, Cristina; Rodrigues, Luis P.; Cordovil, R.During long periods without school, children are more susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, such as an increase in sedentary behaviors, which has a negative impact on children’s motor competence (MC). The COVID-19 lockdown offered us a unique opportunity to test, in a quasi-experimental setting, the impact of lockdown movement restrictions on children’s MC. We assessed the motor competence of 114 children aged 6–9 years using the motor competence assessment. All children were tested before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Chi-square and 2 × 2 ANOVA (sex by moment) were used to further analyze the data. Regardless of sex, motor performances in all tests (except for jumping sideways in boys) were lower when compared with performances before lockdown. There was a marked decreasing trend in children’s levels of MC, shifting from an upper to a lower quartile in different tests. The results after the lockdown were always significantly inferior to the results before lockdown in all motor tests (except jumping sideways), in the three components of MC, and in global MC. Children’s global MC score decreased by an average of 13 points in boys and 16 points in girls. The imposed movement restrictions had a negative effect on children’s motor competence development.