Central Data Catalog

Background: The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young
children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity,
sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s
movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs)
completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the
COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and
June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). Physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed
via parent survey. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental
stress were measured. Compliance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Global guidelines for PA (180 min/
day [≥60 min moderate- vigorous PA]), SST (≤1 h/day) and sleep (10-13 h/day) for children under 5 years of age,
was determined.
Results: Nine hundred- forty-eight parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were
more likely to meet the PA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR] = 2.0, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0,3.8) and SST
(AdjOR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.2,3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO Global guidelines (AdjOR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1,9.8) than
those who were not. Children of parents with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three
guidelines (AdjOR = 0.5, 95%CI 0.3,0.9).
Conclusion: PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring
children can access an outdoor space, and supporting parents’ mental health are important prerequisites for
enabling pre-schoolers to practice healthy movement behaviours and meet the Global guidelines.
Keywords: 24-h movement behaviours, Low- and middle-income countries, Preschool, Outdoors, Play, Quarantine