A Socioecological Perspective of How Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour at Home Changed during the First Lockdown of COVID-19 Restrictions: The HomeSPACE Project

Amie B. Richards, Masoumeh Minou, Michael P. Sheldrick, Nils Swindell, Lucy J. Griffiths, Joanne Hudson and Gareth Stratton
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Amie B. Richards: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Masoumeh Minou: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Michael P. Sheldrick: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Nils Swindell: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Lucy J. Griffiths: Population Data Science, Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
Joanne Hudson: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
Gareth Stratton: Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) Research Centre, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures, resulting in home schooling, more time spent at home and fewer opportunities for physical activity (PA). This study explored factors influencing PA and sedentary behaviours (SB) within the home environment during the first lockdown, starting in March 2020. Twenty semi-structured interviews (20 parents and 23 children, 12 years ± 1.25) were conducted. Data were coded using thematic analysis on NVivo© and concepts from McLeroy’s socioecological model for health promotion were used to analyse the data. Findings indicate that children’s PA and SB at home were influenced by: (i) individual-level factors (e.g., gender, competence, attitudes and motivation); (ii) interpersonal-level factors (e.g., siblings, parents, pets, friends and coaches); (iii) organisation-level factors (e.g., school, clubs and societies), (iv) community-level factors (e.g., home and local environment, access to facilities, social norms, time constraints and home equipment), and (v) policy-level factors (e.g., lockdown restrictions). Stay-at-home mandates resulted in perceived reductions in PA and increases in SB within the home; however, this provided alternative positive opportunities for families, including more time to spend together and exploring green and blue spaces in the local area.

Keywords: COVID-19; children; home; physical activity; sedentary behaviour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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