Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Among U.S. Adolescents Before and During COVID-19: Findings From a Large Cohort Study
Ethan T. Hunt, MPH, PhD,
Keith Brazendale, PhD,
Augusto C.F. De Moraes, PhD,
Raja Malkani, MS,
Natalia I. Heredia, PhD,
Christopher D. Pfledderer, PhD,
Denver M. Brown, PhD,
Deanna M. Hoelscher, PhD,
Michael W. Beets, PhD,
Robert G. Weaver, PhD
Affiliations
Ethan T. Hunt, MPH, PhD
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas; Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas; Address correspondence to: Ethan T. Hunt, MPH, PhD, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, 1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 6.316C, Austin TX 78701.
Keith Brazendale, PhD
Department of Health Sciences, UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Augusto C.F. De Moraes, PhD
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas; Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
Raja Malkani, MS
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
Natalia I. Heredia, PhD
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
Christopher D. Pfledderer, PhD
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas; Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
Denver M. Brown, PhD
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Deanna M. Hoelscher, PhD
Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas; Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
Michael W. Beets, PhD
Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Robert G. Weaver, PhD
Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Introduction: Evidence suggests that adolescents engage in less physical activity during the summer break. Less is known regarding physical activity during the summer months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Utilizing data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the authors examined daily activity measured by Fitbit Charge 2 devices before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during school and summer months. Linear models estimated activity during pre–COVID-19 school, pre–COVID-19 summer, COVID-19 school, and COVID-19 summer. Results: Participants (N=7,179, aged 11.96 years, 51% female, 51% White) accumulated 8,671.0 (95% CI=8,544.7; 8,797.3) steps, 32.5 (95% CI=30.8, 32.3) minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and 507.2 (95% CI=504.2, 510.2) minutes of sedentary time. During COVID-19 school, adolescents accumulated fewer daily steps and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (−1,782.3 steps [95% CI= −2,052.7; −1,511.8] and −6.2 minutes [95% CI= −8.4, −4.0], respectively). Adolescents accumulated more minutes of daily sedentary time (29.6 minutes [95% CI=18.9, 40.3]) during COVID-19 school months than during the pre–COVID-19 school months. During pre–COVID-19 summer months, adolescents accumulated 1,255.1 (95% CI=745.3; 1,765.0) more daily steps than during COVID-19 months. Boys accumulated more daily steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (2,011.5 steps [95% CI=1,271.9; 2,751.0] and 7.9 minutes [95% CI=1.4, 14.4], respectively) during the summer before COVID-19 than in summer during COVID-19. Both girls and boys accumulated more minutes of sedentary time during COVID-19 school months (47.4 [95% CI=27.5, 67.3] and 51.2 [95% CI=22.8, 79.7], respectively) than during COVID-19 summer months. Conclusions: Societal restrictions during COVID-19 negatively impacted activity levels in the U.S., particularly during the summer months during COVID-19.
