December 18, 2020, 7:03 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Currently, most students in Germany are once again being told to stay home and attend digital classes. The fear many parents had that their children would hardly get any exercise during the lockdown has not been confirmed, according to a study from Karlsruhe. However, the study’s results are not entirely positive.
Since mid-December, Germany has been in its second lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Not only are some adults overwhelmed by the situation, but the shift between normalcy and lockdown is also challenging for children. A recent study from Germany shows that children have apparently found their own way to cope with the stress. They have reportedly integrated more physical activity into their daily routine during the lockdown than before.
Also of interest: How can you tell if the coronavirus crisis is mentally overwhelming you?
Long-term Study on Children’s Physical Activity
Since 2003, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Education Karlsruhe (PHKA) have been regularly assessing the motor skills and physical activity of young people in Germany as part of the longitudinal study Motorik-Modul (MoMo). Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the long-term study is on hold because sports clubs and playgrounds are closed.
The MoMo team used this period to examine how children’s physical activity fared during the lockdown. They conducted online surveys with more than 1,700 children living in Germany, aged between four and 17. “The before-and-after comparison was only possible because we have long-term data. This is internationally unique,” says sports scientist Dr. Claudia Niessner, one of the two project leaders, in a press release from KIT.
Despite Lockdown, About 36 Minutes More Daily Activity
“Surprisingly, boys and girls found alternatives to the lack of sports offerings, even those who were not previously active,” summarizes Dr. Niessner. Instead of school sports and club training, children were more active in their daily lives. They moved about 36 minutes more than before the pandemic outbreak. Additionally, children and adolescents spent about 24 minutes daily on “unorganized sports,” such as playing soccer, basketball, or badminton. Before the lockdown, it was only seven minutes per day.
The WHO recommends 60 minutes of exercise per day per child–a target not met during the first lockdown. Nevertheless, it actually promoted physical activity, says Professor Alexander Woll, sports scientist and study coordinator.
Also of interest: 80 percent of children and adolescents do not get enough exercise
Children and teenagers are getting less exercise during the second COVID-19 lockdown
Only one in five children gets enough exercise
More Daily Activity in Lockdown, Less Intensity
However, Professor Alexander Woll also cautions: “Playing outside, cycling, or doing garden or housework does not have the same intensity as training and competitions in clubs.” According to the study, the closure of clubs results in about 28.5 minutes of sports per child being lost daily, along with social contacts. Woll notes: “We do not yet know how the absence of school and club sports will affect motor skills or obesity in the long term.”
More Space Leads to More Activity
The study, published in the journal “Scientific Reports,” also shows that living conditions significantly impact physical activity. During the lockdown, children living in a single-family home in a small community were the most active. Young residents of a multi-story building in the city were the least active. “Spaces for movement are disappearing in urban planning, and a counter-movement is urgently needed,” criticizes Woll. The current second lockdown exacerbates this issue. Since it is almost continuously cold and gets dark early, children are likely to use outdoor exercise opportunities even less.