Global responses to the COVID-19 outbreak included a shutdown of organized sports and public sports facilities in most countries. For many children and youth, this resulted in crucial changes in their daily routines and opportunities for being physically active. This study investigated how the physical activity and recreational screen time behaviors of 1711 children and youth changed from before (pre-COVID) to during (peri-COVID) the pandemic lockdown in Germany.
The physical activity measures used for this study differentiated between organized sports activity, nonorganized sports, and habitual physical activity (e.g., going for a walk, playing outside). Because organized sports at schools and in sports clubs were shut down during the lockdown, there were no measurable organized sports during the peri measurement. The data allowed researchers to record the number of days participants reported to be active for more than 60 minutes during a normal week pre and peri the lockdown. The data also allowed researchers to determine the percentage of participants that adhered to physical activity guidelines and screen time suggestions.
Results showed a decline in sports activity among boys and girls of all age groups. There was, however, an overall increase in physical activity among children and adolescents due to an increase in nonorganized sports and habitual physical activity. The increase in nonnorganized sports was not limited to participants already doing sports before the lockdown. Over 30% of those who had reported no sports activity before the lockdown engaged in nonorganized sports during the lockdown. There were some age differences, with adolescents increasing their nonorganized sports more than younger children, and showing a lower increase in habitual physical activity than younger children. Recreational screen time increased for all age groups.
This study found that an increase in recreational screen time among children and adolescents during lockdown in Germany was paralleled by an increase in physical activity. These findings indicate that physical activity and recreational screen time “do not act as functional opposites and may decrease or increase concurrently.” Concerns about physical activity levels and screen time use among children and adolescents should therefore be addressed separately. This research also indicates that policies relating to physical activity should include a “focus on providing safe natural space for nonorganized outdoor activities in addition to organized offers.”
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