Physical Activity and Screen Time among Hungarian High School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Caused Distance Education Period

Abstract

Background: High school education took place in the form of distance learning during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic worldwide, including Hungary. Decreased physical activity and an increase in inactive behaviours may lead to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Aim: Our study targeted changes in physical activity (aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening) and screen time in adolescents and young adults during the pandemic. Methods: High school students were interviewed in 66 public schools in 37 Hungarian cities (N = 2508). Survey items on physical activity and screen time were derived from the WHO Health Behaviour of School-aged Children Survey and the Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey. A 2 × 2 factorial ANCOVA was used to test the effects of gender (male vs. female) and/or age (adolescents vs. young adults) on the reported changes in physical activity and screen time before and during lockdown (covariate: BMI Z-score). Results: The majority of the cohort indicated less physical activity. Aerobic and muscle-strengthening type of exercises significantly decreased, and screen time increased during distance education. Male individuals showed a higher decrease in the level of aerobic exercise, and young adults reported a higher increase in the time spent in front of the screen.

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“…Our study also found that more than two thirds (70.7%) of youths had insufficient PA, which was higher than that in adults (nearly 60%) during the pandemic [ 8 ]. A total of 55% of students were doing one to three days less aerobic exercise per week during distance education as before [ 32 ]. Second, 13.7 and 15.6% of college students had soda and tea beverage intake; 11.1 and 19.5% used Chinese herbal medicines and vitamins, respectively; and 15.6% of college students reported decreased diet rhythmicity.…”

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“…The study also showed that more than 50% of those who spent this amount of time in front of a computer had a poor quality of sleep, and in the group of people who spent less than 8 h a day in front of a computer, this percentage was just over 33% [ 43 ]. Another study, conducted in 66 secondary schools in Hungary among students, also showed an increase in time spent in front of the computer and television as a consequence of the introduction of distance learning [ 44 ]. An increase in sedentary lifestyle, especially in front of the monitor, was also observed by research in Italian, Spanish, German and Australian students, while physical activity significantly decreased in these groups [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

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“…Medical students in Taiwan experienced significant deficits in clinical emergency training [ 31 ]. Lockdowns and school closures have also been linked to decreases in physical activity and substantial increases in screen time and negative emotions [ 32 , 33 , 34 ].…”