Physical activity, screen time, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. children
Oral Presentation B8.5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.689Keywords:
Screen Time, Mental Health, COVID-19Abstract
Background: Children’s physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) were likely suboptimal during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may influence mental health. Purpose: To describe the relationship between PA and ST with mental health among U.S. children during COVID-19. Methods: Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey conducted October-November 2020 among 500 parents of 6 to 10-year-olds and 500 parent-child dyads with 11 to 17-year-olds. Child PA, ST, and mental health was parent-report for ages 6-10, self-report for ages 11-17. COVID-19 stressors were parent-report. Associations between mental health, COVID-19 stressors, PA, and ST were examined using weighted linear regression. Results: Among 1000 children (mean [SD] age,10.83 [3.51] years, 47.43% female), 20.88% reported meeting PA guidelines. Children reported 3.89 [2.23] days/week with ≥60 minutes of PA and 4.41 [2.53] hours/day of ST. COVID-19 impact was significantly associated with higher total difficulties, externalizing, and internalizing symptoms (all p<0.001). Accounting for COVID-19 stressors, for younger children, engaging in 7 (versus 0) days/week of PA was associated with lower externalizing symptoms (β =-1.95, p<0.001). For older children, engaging in any days of PA (versus 0) was associated with lower total difficulties, externalizing, and internalizing symptoms (all p<0.001). More ST was correlated with higher total difficulties, externalizing, and internalizing symptoms (all p<0.05). Conclusions: Children are engaging in suboptimal amounts of PA and ST. More PA and less ST are associated with better mental health for children, even when accounting for COVID-19 stressors. Funding: Study funded by Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Research Integration Hub.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Ashleigh M. Johnson, Pooja S. Tandon, Chuan Zhou, Erin Schoenfelder Gonzalez, Emily Kroshus
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