Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) during the school day is crucial for the health and well-being of adolescents. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth PA patterns to better understand these changes and to provide guidelines for school programming.MethodsDifferences in PA wi...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1488153/full |
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| author | Karel Frömel Karel Frömel Gregory Welk Dorota Groffik Lukáš Jakubec Jan Dygrýn Josef Mitáš |
| author_facet | Karel Frömel Karel Frömel Gregory Welk Dorota Groffik Lukáš Jakubec Jan Dygrýn Josef Mitáš |
| author_sort | Karel Frömel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) during the school day is crucial for the health and well-being of adolescents. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth PA patterns to better understand these changes and to provide guidelines for school programming.MethodsDifferences in PA within specific segments of the school day were examined before and after the pandemic using the Youth Activity Profile questionnaire. Participants included 956 boys and 1,317 girls from 21 high schools. The study involved 12 Czech and 9 Polish high schools before the pandemic and 9 Czech and 8 Polish high schools after the pandemic.ResultsBoth Czech and Polish boys and girls exhibited significantly less transportation PA to and from school and reduced PA during the school day after the pandemic compared to before. Additionally, Czech and Polish boys were significantly less physically active during school breaks, and Czech boys and girls had notably less PA during physical education lessons. The pandemic disrupted the habit of regular PA on school days, particularly evident in the decline of PA to and from school.ConclusionThe study confirms a significant difference in PA of Czech and Polish adolescents in various segments of the school day after students return to school following pandemic restrictions. Promoting achievement of the recommendations in the segments of the school day and in comprehensive school PA programs should be an important part of school health and education policy and public health promotion for adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6bc59454efe648acb06d5c261d39e596 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-6bc59454efe648acb06d5c261d39e5962025-08-20T02:57:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-03-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.14881531488153Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictionsKarel Frömel0Karel Frömel1Gregory Welk2Dorota Groffik3Lukáš Jakubec4Jan Dygrýn5Josef Mitáš6Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, CzechiaFaculty of Physical Education, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, PolandDepartment of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United StatesFaculty of Physical Education, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, PolandFaculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, CzechiaFaculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, CzechiaFaculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, CzechiaBackgroundPhysical activity (PA) during the school day is crucial for the health and well-being of adolescents. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth PA patterns to better understand these changes and to provide guidelines for school programming.MethodsDifferences in PA within specific segments of the school day were examined before and after the pandemic using the Youth Activity Profile questionnaire. Participants included 956 boys and 1,317 girls from 21 high schools. The study involved 12 Czech and 9 Polish high schools before the pandemic and 9 Czech and 8 Polish high schools after the pandemic.ResultsBoth Czech and Polish boys and girls exhibited significantly less transportation PA to and from school and reduced PA during the school day after the pandemic compared to before. Additionally, Czech and Polish boys were significantly less physically active during school breaks, and Czech boys and girls had notably less PA during physical education lessons. The pandemic disrupted the habit of regular PA on school days, particularly evident in the decline of PA to and from school.ConclusionThe study confirms a significant difference in PA of Czech and Polish adolescents in various segments of the school day after students return to school following pandemic restrictions. Promoting achievement of the recommendations in the segments of the school day and in comprehensive school PA programs should be an important part of school health and education policy and public health promotion for adolescents.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1488153/fullphysical activity recommendationactive transportschool dayeducation policyCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Karel Frömel Karel Frömel Gregory Welk Dorota Groffik Lukáš Jakubec Jan Dygrýn Josef Mitáš Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions Frontiers in Public Health physical activity recommendation active transport school day education policy COVID-19 |
| title | Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions |
| title_full | Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions |
| title_fullStr | Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions |
| title_short | Adolescent physical activity during school days: a comparative study before and after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions |
| title_sort | adolescent physical activity during school days a comparative study before and after covid 19 pandemic restrictions |
| topic | physical activity recommendation active transport school day education policy COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1488153/full |
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