PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS AMONG SAUDI’S CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO HAD COVID-19 INFECTION
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Keywords
COVID-19, Coronavirus Disease-2019, patients, infected, coronavirus, Physical inactivity, physical performances, children and adolescents
Abstract
Objectives: The SARS-CoV-2 viral infection also known as Covid-19 has shown to have a negative impact on physical activity levels and other health related problems in infected children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study aims to provide a descriptive analysis of the levels of physical activity (determined by the MET measured in minutes per week), conducted by children and adolescents aged 7-17 years in Saudi Arabia who have developed a Covid-19 infection.
Methods: A total of 403 Participants, ages 7-17 years, answered the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). The GPAQ assesses multiple components of physical activity such as intensity, frequency and duration yielding the metabolic equivalent (MET) measuring physical activity in minutes per week.
Results: One hundred and forty-five participants had a MET score of <600, 55 out of 145 participants had a MET score of 0, and 258 participants had a MET score of ≥600 following the WHO recommendations of physical activity performance. There was a significant difference in mean MET score by age group (7-12 years vs. 13-17 years), 3266 minutes vs. 2524 minutes respectively (p-value 0.015). Additionally male participants have shown to have 1.86-fold (95% CI1.23-2.81) higher odds of having conducted more than 600 MET minutes of physical activity in comparison to females.
Conclusions: A pattern was observed for the physical activity levels of children and adolescents during the pandemic who were infected with coronavirus and recovered which indicate higher activity for males and younger age groups.
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Asma Alonazi
Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11952.
Noha Daher
Department of Allied Health Studies, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92350 U.S.A
Rahaf Alotaibi
Modern Rehabilitation Center for Intensive Pediatric Therapy
Saif Almutairi
First Step Pediatric Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 13226
Danah Alyahya
Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11952.