Playful activity remained constant while electronics use increased in children during social distancing amidst the COVID-19 outbreak: A Poá’s pilot study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has produced one of the most dramatic health crises, impacting humans’ daily lives worldwide. Social distancing and lockdown measures have limited everyone’s daily activities and have likely also affected children’s physical activity.

AIM: To investigate physical activity and electronics use during COVID-19 social distancing in children from the city of Poá, São Paulo.

METHOD: Data from 28 children were obtained on two occasions: pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. To further examine possible changes in physical activity, data from another sample of 40 children were obtained during the pandemic. From both cohorts, anthropometric information and play, television, electronics, and sleep time expenditures were obtained using a questionnaire.

RESULTS: Results from the first cohort showed similar time spent engaged in playful activities and sleeping before and during the pandemic. Although hours spent watching television remained constant, a dramatic increase in the overall electronics time expenditure was observed during the pandemic period. 

CONCLUSION: Although the children maintained their playtime while social distancing, an increase in the time spent using electronic devices was observed, possibly due to the characteristics of the social distancing implemented in Brazil, as well as the characteristics of the children’s neighborhood.