Covid-19 lockdown: Ethnic differences in children’s self-reported physical activity and the importance of leaving the home environment. A longitudinal and cross-sectional study from the Born in Bradford birth cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundIn England, the onset of COVID-19 and a rapidly increasing infection rate resulted in a lockdown (March-June 2020) which placed strict restrictions on movement of the public, including children. Using data collected from children living in a multi-ethnic city with high levels of deprivation, this study aimed to: (1) report childrens self-reported physical activity (PA) during the first COVID-19 UK lockdown and identify associated factors; (2) examine changes of childrens self-reported PA prior to and during the first UK lockdown.MethodsThis study is part of the Born in Bradford (BiB) COVID-19 Research Study. PA (amended Youth Activity Profile), sleep, sedentary behaviours, daily frequency/time/destination/activity when leaving the home, were self-reported by 949 children (9-13 years). A sub-sample (n=634) also self-reported PA (Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children) pre-pandemic (2017-February 2020). Univariate analysis assessed differences in PA between sex and ethnicity groups; multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with children’s PA. Differences in children’s levels of being sufficiently active were examined using the McNemar test examined change in PA prior to and during the lockdown, and multivariable logistic regression to identify factors explaining change.ResultsDuring the pandemic, White British (WB) children were more sufficiently active (34.1%) compared to Pakistani Heritage children (PH) (22.8%) or ‘Other’ ethnicity children (O) (22.8%). WB children reported leaving the home more frequently and for longer periods than PH and O children. Modifiable variables related to being sufficiently active were frequency, duration, type of activity, and destination away from the home environment. There was a large reduction in children being sufficiently active during the first COVID-19 lockdown (28.9%) compared to pre-pandemic (69.4%).ConclusionsPromoting safe extended periods of PA everyday outdoors is important for all children, in particular for children from ethnic minority groups. Children’s PA during the first COVID-19 UK lockdown has drastically reduced from before. Policy and decision makers, and practitioners should consider the findings in order to begin to understand the impact and consequences that COVID-19 has had upon children’s PA which is a key and vital behaviour for health and development.

Association of COVID-19 Mitigation Measures With Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Mass Index Among Children Aged 7 to 10 Years in Austria

“…In children, changes in diet, 5 mental health, and increased sedentary time have been reported, all of which may have been associated with an increase in BMI. 23 , 24 , 25 The 3.8% increase in the number of children with overweight or obesity in the 1-year period is similar in magnitude to the increase seen in a 4-year period (2014 to 2018) in Austrian children. 26 Another longitudinal study investigating primary schoolchildren from the wider Bristol, UK, area over a 4-year period (2012 to 2016) reported a 5.7% increase in overweight and obesity.…”

Consequences of covid-19 on the childhood obesity epidemic

“…Before the pandemic, over 50% of children were not achieving physical activity guidelines 7. Despite restrictions allowing 60 minutes of exercise in a local area, nearly 30% of children report not leaving the house on a typical lockdown day 8. With parks, recreational areas, and sports clubs closed and screen time increased, there has been further reduction in physical activity in young people; this is more pronounced among ethnic minority communities 89…”

People powered research: What do communities identify as important for happy and healthy children and young people? A multi-disciplinary community research priority setting exercise in the City of Bradford, United Kingdom (UK)

“…In Bradford district, 22.5% of children are obese or overweight at age 4-5, and this gure rises to 37.9% by age 10-11, with rates at ages 10-11 continuing to rise(26). Sedentary activity is also a signi cant issue adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic when only one quarter of children were found to be su ciently physically active (27). The importance given to these factors suggests that communities are aware and concerned by these rising trends.…”

“…This research priority setting activity should not be viewed in isolation as a singular or de nitive event but one of a number of ways in which research agendas are built and developed as an ongoing process. Research happens in a dynamic world and the dramatic changes in circumstances over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example the reduction in children being su ciently physically active (69%) pre-COVID-19 compared with the rst lockdown (29%) (27), means that priorities should be continually reappraised. The list of research priorities are a re ection of a pre-COVID-19 world, and it is likely a range of additional priorities focusing speci cally on the pandemic would be apparent if the process was repeated today.…”