Stoke-on-Trent (UK). The purpose of the lockdown during the pandemic is to limit the spread of COVID-19 and the number of deaths due to it. However, these lockdowns also badly affected the activism of the people. Especially the physical activity of the children decreased completely.
It is feared that the short-term changes in the physical activity of children while sitting at home due to the pandemic may extend beyond the duration of the pandemic. It is very easy to form habits, and it is very easy for youngsters to adopt a more sedentary and less physically active lifestyle. However, there are ways in which children can be encouraged to be more active. These include getting the whole family involved in physical activity and making exercise a part of the routine.
a global trend
Research from around the world has examined the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on children and their physical activity levels. Canadian researchers conducted an online survey of parents of 1472 youth during the COVID-19 restrictions. They found that only 4.8% of children aged five to 11 were following the Canadian 24-hour activity guidelines, which include one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Among youth aged 12 to 17, the number of people meeting these guidelines was just 0.6%.
Another study surveyed 211 parents of American children aged five to 13. It found that children spent about 90 minutes a day engaged in school-related activities, and spent eight hours a day in comfortable conditions during the pandemic.
A study in Shanghai, China compared the activity levels of 2,426 youth aged six to 17 years before and during the pandemic. It was found that, overall, there was a significant reduction in the amount of time young people spent being physically active – from about nine hours a week to two hours a week. Screen time increased by about 30 hours a week on average.
The story was similar in Italy as well. Researchers compared the behavior of a group of 41 obese children before the pandemic and in Italy’s national lockdown in the three weeks. The time taken by children to participate in sporting activities decreased during the pandemic, while sleep and screen time increased.
increase activity
Given the many physical and psychological benefits of more physical activity, children should be given plenty of opportunities and encouragement to be physically active. Family involvement plays an important role in the activity level of children. Incentives from parents and participation of parents in physical activities with their children encourage children to participate actively in indoor and outdoor activities.
Research has also shown that having a pet dog can encourage children to be active. One way of responding to the uncertainty of COVID is by developing routines and structure for children. Fostering a sense of predictability at home can help children deal with the uncertain world. Regular family participation on weekends or after school or in exercise classes can be a positive way to help children feel safe and protected.
Children enjoy staying active by attending classes ranging from dancing to swimming and football. These classes had to be closed during the lockdown, but many have now reopened. They are a great way for the kids to socialize as well as stay fit.
For some people, however, these classes are no longer an option. Some activities may cease permanently, or families may have less disposable income than they did before the pandemic. Due to COVID, parents may be worried about their children attending classes with other children.
Parental anxiety can have an impact on children’s physical activity. In Canada, children of more anxious parents went to the park less during the pandemic than children of less anxious parents. During the lockdown, the cancellation of sports and activity classes led to an increase in programs offering online fitness classes for children. This is a great way to enable children to be physically active at home in those situations. It is really important for children to be physically active and maintain them till adulthood.
The post Children exercise less in lockdown, how to bring them back into action appeared first on Navabharat.