TY - JOUR
AU - Basterfield, Laura
AU - Burn, Naomi L.
AU - Galna, Brook
AU - Batten, Hannah
AU - Goffe, Louis
AU - Karoblyte, Guoda
AU - Lawn, Matt
AU - Weston, Kathryn L.
PY - 2022
DA - March
TI - Changes in children’s physical fitness, BMI and health-related quality of life after the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in England: A longitudinal study
JO - Journal of Sports Sciences
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2047504
AB - We aimed to assess one-year changes in physical fitness, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and body mass index (BMI), encompassing the 2020 COVID-19 UK lockdowns. Data were collected (October 2019, November 2020) from 178 8–10–year-olds in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, 85% from England’s most deprived quintile. Twenty-metre shuttle run test performance (20mSRT), handgrip strength (HGS), standing broad jump (SBJ), sit-and-reach, height, body mass, HRQoL (Kidscreen-27 questionnaire) and sports club participation were measured. BMI z-scores and overweight/obesity were calculated (≥85th centile). Paired t-tests and linear regression assessed change, adjusting for baseline BMI. Significant (p&lt;0.001) changes were observed: increases in mean BMI (+1.5kg·m−2), overweight/obesity (33% to 47%), SBJ (+6.8cm) and HGS (+1.5kg); decreases in 20mSRT performance (−3 shuttles), sit-and-reach (−1.8cm). More children at follow-up were categorized “very low” for 20mSRT performance (35% baseline v 51%). Increased BMI z-score was associated with decreased “Physical Wellbeing” HRQoL. Follow-up sports club participation was associated with better 20mSRT performance (p=0.032), and “Autonomy &amp; Parents” (p=0.011), “Social Support &amp; Peers” (p=0.038) HRQoL. Children’s 20mSRT performance and BMI changed adversely over one year; national lockdowns potentially made negative contributions. Physical fitness, physical activity and sports programmes should be part of children’s physical and mental recovery from the pandemic.
PB - Taylor and Francis
UR - http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2858081
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
KW - Children, young people and families
KW - Diet, healthy weight and physical activity
ER