Nardone Paola, Broccoli Serena, Spinelli Angela, Buoncristiano Marta, Andreozzi Silvia, Bucciarelli Mauro, Giustini Marco, Ciardullo Silvia
National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, 00161, Italy.
Department of Prevention and Public Health, General Directorate of Health and Welfare, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, 40127, Italy.
Arch Public Health. 2025 Aug 22;83(1):214. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01701-5.
Most governments worldwide introduced containment measures to protect people from the risk of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection which also affected children. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting confinement at home may have affected physical health and mental well-being especially among vulnerable young people, widening health disparities. Therefore, the aim of the EPaSS-ISS study was to study the changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviours among 8-9 years old Italian students during the pandemic of COVID-19 compared with before the pandemic.
Data were collected using a web questionnaire. The target population was parents of children attending third-grade primary schools and living in Italy. A cluster sample design was used. Logistic regression models were used to explore changes between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in children's studying hours, active play and screen time. The possible effects of gender, geographical area of residence, parents' nationality and educational level, family structure, family-perceived wealth, availability of home outdoor spaces and house size were investigated. A stratification by sociodemographic characteristics of children and parents was also included in the analysis.
4863 children were included: 47.9% were females, the average age was 8 years and 9 months (SD ± 5 months). The parents reported that 44.3% of their children increased the time spent studying at home, 52.7% the screen time for non-educational purposes on weekdays, and 47.3% at weekends; 44% of the children decreased their time spent playing actively outside school hours on weekdays and 39.3% at weekends. A larger increase of sedentary lifestyle was found among children with at least one parent with a medium (OR:2.57; 95%CI:1.78-3.72) or high educational level (OR:3.32, 95%CI:2.29-4.82), with low family-perceived wealth (OR:1.21; 95%CI:1.03-1.41), with both Italian parents (OR:1.44; 95%CI:1.10-1.90), resident in Centre (OR:1.25; 95%CI:1.04-1.50) or South (OR:1.26; 95%CI:1.05-1.51) Italy. No outdoor spaces (OR:2.14; 95%CI:1.82-2.51) and home size < = 90m2 (OR:1.41; 95%CI:1.05-1.68) had also a negative effect on children's behaviours.
In Italy physical activity decreased and sedentary behaviours increased among 8-9 years old children during the COVID 19 pandemic.
全球大多数政府都采取了防控措施，以保护人们免受严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）病毒感染风险，儿童也受到了影响。2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行以及随之而来的居家隔离可能影响了人们的身体健康和心理健康，尤其是在脆弱的年轻人中，加剧了健康差距。因此，EPaSS-ISS研究的目的是研究与大流行前相比，COVID-19大流行期间8至9岁意大利学生的身体活动和久坐行为的变化。
通过网络问卷收集数据。目标人群是意大利小学三年级学生的家长。采用整群抽样设计。使用逻辑回归模型探讨大流行前和大流行期间儿童学习时间、积极玩耍时间和屏幕时间的变化。调查了性别、居住地理区域、父母国籍和教育水平、家庭结构、家庭感知财富、家庭户外空间可用性和房屋大小的可能影响。分析中还包括按儿童和父母的社会人口特征进行分层。
共纳入4863名儿童：47.9%为女性，平均年龄为8岁9个月（标准差±5个月）。家长报告称，44.3%的孩子增加了在家学习的时间，52.7%的孩子工作日非教育目的的屏幕时间增加，47.3%的孩子周末屏幕时间增加；44%的孩子工作日校外积极玩耍的时间减少，39.3%的孩子周末减少。在至少有一位中等（比值比：2.57；95%置信区间：1.78-3.72）或高教育水平（比值比：3.32，95%置信区间：2.29-4.82）、家庭感知财富低（比值比：1.21；95%置信区间：1.03-1.41）、父母双方均为意大利人（比值比：1.44；95%置信区间：1.10-1.90）、居住在意大利中部（比值比：1.25；95%置信区间：1.04-1.50）或南部（比值比：1.26；95%置信区间：1.05-1.51）的孩子中，久坐生活方式的增加更为明显。没有户外空间（比值比：2.14；95%置信区间：1.82-2.51）和房屋面积<=90平方米（比值比：1.41；95%置信区间：1.05-1.68）也对孩子的行为有负面影响。
在意大利，COVID-19大流行期间8至9岁儿童的身体活动减少，久坐行为增加。
