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Updated: May 10, 2025
Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children
Published on: March 1, 2019
Preschool-aged children 24-hour movement behaviours before and during COVID-19
Mingming Cui1, Xiaojuan Wang2,3, Zhaoxu Lu1
1Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered preschool children's movement behaviors, with fewer meeting guidelines. Factors like sleep quality and parental internet use influenced physical activity levels during this period.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted global health, economies, and daily life.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the specific effects of the pandemic on young children's behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in 24-hour movement behaviors of preschool children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To identify factors influencing these behavioral changes in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the International Study of Movement Behaviors in the Early Years (SUNRISE) in Beijing.
- Surveyed 196 parents of children aged 3-6 years regarding movement behaviors at two time points: pre-pandemic and during COVID-19.
- Compared movement behaviors and analyzed associated factors before and during the pandemic.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in the percentage of children meeting movement guidelines was observed during the pandemic (p < 0.01).
- Total physical activity reduction was less pronounced in children with good sleep quality or more adults at home (p < 0.01).
- Increased sedentary screen time was associated with pre-bedtime screen use and parental reporting of body temperature via webchats (p < 0.05).
- Children spending more time outdoors experienced a smaller decrease in sleep duration (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant shifts in preschool children's 24-hour movement behaviors.
- Sleep quality, household structure, parental engagement with technology, and outdoor time emerged as key influencing factors.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support healthy movement behaviors in children during public health crises.
Abstract:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affected health, economies, and lifestyles, but little is known about its impact on children. We aimed to investigate changes in 24-hour (h) movement behaviours of pre-school children before and during COVID-19, and factors that influenced these. Children aged 3-6 years were recruited in Beijing in 2019, and their movement behaviours over 24 h assessed by questionnaire, as part of the International Study of Movement Behaviors in the Early Years (SUNRISE) study. We conducted the survey again during COVID-19, and compared the children's movement behaviours before and during COVID-19 and associated factors. Overall, 196 parents completed the survey at both time points. The percentage of children meeting movement guidelines decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.01). Total physical activity decreased less among children getting good quality sleep or with more adults in the household (p < 0.01). Children who were not cared for primarily by their mother had a greater decrease in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (p = 0.02), but the decrease was smaller among children whose parents used the internet to support their physical activity and/or screen time (p < 0.05). Children who used electronic screen devices in the 2 h before bedtime or whose parents reported body temperature in webchats had a greater increase in sedentary screen time (p < 0.05). Children spending more time outdoors showed a smaller decrease in sleep (p < 0.01). Overall, children's movement behaviours changed significantly during the pandemic.
