Impact of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic on physical activity and sedentary time in girl school students Pardis city

The simplest and most effective way to prevent and reduce the risk of COVID-۱۹ is self-isolation and home quarantine. However, staying at home is likely to lead to increased periods of sedentary behavior with low energy expenditure (<۱.۵ metabolic equivalents), such as sitting, reclining or lying posture. In quarantine conditions, it is likely that considerably more time is spent in sedentary behavior. While staying at home is recommended to reduce the risk of infection with COVID-۱۹ and maintain health, the associated increase in sedentary behavior also poses a considerable health risk.The present study aimed to investigate the impact of Covid-۱۹ pandemic on physical activity and sedentary time and compare with before the corona outbreak in the teenage girl students of the Pardis city.The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted online due to prevent Covid-۱۹ infection among girl students aged ۱۱-۱۷ years in Pardis city in January and February ۲۰۲۲. Subjects were selected by the snowball sampling. Participants were invited to the study using Shad and WhatsApp social apps. Changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviors were measured self-reported by three questions (physical activity, screen time, and sitting time). Participants answers to each question included: a decrease, no change, or increase compared to before the corona pandemic. Data were analyzed by using SPSS ۲۲ software.In the present study, ۱۴۷ girls (۱۵.۰۴±۱.۷۰ years) have participated. The results demonstrated that the level of physical activity decreased compared to before the pandemic in ۵۵% of participants, remained unchanged in ۲۹%, and increased by ۱۶%. Screen time increased by ۴۸%, unaffected by ۳۳%, and decreased by ۱۹% of participants. Sitting time also increased by ۵۷%, unchanged by ۳۰%, and decreased by ۱۳% of participants.The outbreak of Covid-۱۹ caused a transformation in all previous behaviors. Therefore, given the increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle due to Covid-۱۹ and its irreparable risks. Thus, given the growing prevalence of sedentary lifestyle due to Covid-۱۹ and its irreparable risks, it is necessary to immediately run preventive activities and programmes such as holding active games in the community.

کلیدواژه ها:

۲۰۱۹ novel coronavirus diseases ، Female ، Iran ، Physical inactivity ، Screen time