Physical Activity and BMI before and after the Situation Caused by COVID-19 in Upper Primary School Pupils in the Czech Republic

Jana Pyšná, Ladislav Pyšný, David Cihlář, Dominika Petrů, Lenka Hajerová Müllerová, Luděk Čtvrtečka, Anna Čechová and Jiří Suchý
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Jana Pyšná: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, České mládeže 8, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Ladislav Pyšný: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, České mládeže 8, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
David Cihlář: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, České mládeže 8, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Dominika Petrů: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, České mládeže 8, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Lenka Hajerová Müllerová: Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, West Bohemia University in Pilsen, Chodské náměstí 1, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic
Luděk Čtvrtečka: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, České mládeže 8, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Anna Čechová: Department of Didactics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague, José Matího 31, 162 52 Prague, Czech Republic
Jiří Suchý: Department of Didactics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague, José Matího 31, 162 52 Prague, Czech Republic

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Regular physical activity is a very important factor in the healthy development of an individual and an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. However, today’s population still suffers from an insufficient amount of exercise caused mainly by technological progress and often inappropriate conditions for practising sports. In relation to this, we are grappling with a steady increase in obesity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, conditions for regular physical activity became even more unfavourable, with the declaration of a state of emergency and antipandemic measures leading to the closure of sports grounds and sporting competitions. Using a questionnaire survey of a sample of children ( n = 1456), we found that, already before the pandemic, 69% of the observed sample had not met the recommended amount of physical activity, and only 67% of the sample was of normal weight. By comparing both groups after the end of pandemic restrictions, we found statistically significant differences at examined indicators of the children’s Body Mass Index (BMI), their physical activity, and free time spending habits. We noticed the significant differences in BMI indicators in two different categories, normal weight (7.5%) and stage 1 obesity (1.66%). Simultaneously, we noticed differences in the children’s physical activities, especially with children who attend sports playgroups connected to athletic development (8.74%). More differences were noticed in free time spending habits indicators; the most significant ones were with the children who spend their free time behind the personal computer for more than 14 h a week (5.4%) and with the children who spend their free time on social media for 8–14 h a week (18.56%).

Keywords: physical activity; body mass index; COVID-19; pupils; health; lifestyle; sport; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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