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Evaluation of the Physical Activity Intensity in Primary School Children During the Lockdown

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Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health V

Part of the book series: Studies in Systems, Decision and Control ((SSDC,volume 492))

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led governments to impose measures to reduce virus transmissibility, leading to the home office, and children were sent home to take online classes. These restrictions affected children's movement time and interrupting sports activities. This study aimed to assess the levels of children's physical activity (PA) during confinement. Children used an accelerometer in their non-dominant wrist to measure levels of PA and separated by sedentary-to-light or moderate-to-vigorous intensities, for four consecutive days (two days during the week and two during the weekend. Results showed that children spent only one hour in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities per day, but it is not consecutively. In addition, we also analyze the consecutive time of PA, which provides further information regarding children's activity patterns. Besides, children spend most of their time at sedentary levels, being more active during the weekend days. Regarding the environment, there are significant differences between having outdoor space and living in a house or apartment. Children have increased their sedentary levels by spending more time in sedentary activities. Our findings provide further evidence that COVID-19 affected PA levels in children. This behavior can affect long-term mental and physical health if subjected to long-term assessment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liberal Arts Department, American University of the Middle East, Egaila, Kuwait

    Denise Soares

  2. KinesioLab – Research Unit in Human Movement – Piaget Institute, Almada, Portugal

    Catarina Rodrigues, Joana Lourenço & Fabio Flôres

Authors
  1. Denise Soares
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  2. Catarina Rodrigues
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  3. Joana Lourenço
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  4. Fabio Flôres
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denise Soares .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Production and Systems, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Pedro M. Arezes

  2. Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Rui B. Melo

  3. Department of Production and Systems, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Paula Carneiro

  4. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Jacqueline Castelo Branco

  5. School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Ana Colim

  6. Department of Production and Systems School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Nélson Costa

  7. School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

    Susana Costa

  8. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Joana Duarte

  9. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Joana C. Guedes

  10. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Gonçalo Perestrelo

  11. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    J. Santos Baptista

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Soares, D., Rodrigues, C., Lourenço, J., Flôres, F. (2024). Evaluation of the Physical Activity Intensity in Primary School Children During the Lockdown. In: Arezes, P.M., et al. Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health V. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 492. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38277-2_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38277-2_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38276-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-38277-2

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