New study shows impact of COVID-19 on movement behaviours among Canadian children and youth

A new, hot of the press study commissioned by ParticipACTION explores the impact of the initial COVID-19 crisis on the movement behaviours of Canadian children and youth. This national survey linked COVID-19 restrictions with adverse behaviours such as lower PA, less outside time, and higher SB. Unsurprisingly, the stay at home instructions made it more challenging than ever for kids to maintain healthy movement behaviours. Indeed, during the lockdown, the grade for 24-hour movement behaviours would be an “F”.

Our director Ryan Rhodes teamed up with researchers to investigate the effects of the pandemic on movement and play behaviours. Read the full press release through Outdoor Play Canada. To learn the specifics, read the recently published article:

• Moore, S.A., Faulkner, G., Rhodes, R.E., Brussoni, M., Chulak-Bozzer, T., Ferguson, L.J., Mitra, R., O’Reilly, N., Spence, J.C., Vanderloo, L.M., Tremblay, M.S. (2020). Impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak on movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth: A national survey. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(85), 1-11.