Movement and Play Behaviors of Egyptian Children After Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Children’s everyday lives had undergone substantial alterations due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Children's insufficient physical exercise and excessive sedentary behavior are serious issues. Objective: To investigate the effects of COVID-19 limits on children's play and movement habits in Egypt. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 400 Egyptian children aged 5-14years. The Arabic version of the online outbreak survey was used to evaluate children's movement and play behavior before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and test-retest reliability. Results: By comparing the collected data with WHO guidelines, it was found that 2.3% of screened children fulfilled the 24-hour combined movement behavior criteria; 57% met sleep recommendations; 36.9% met moderate-to-vigorous physical activity guidelines, and 12.3% met screen-time guidelines. During the epidemic, children in Egypt had decreased physical activity levels, more sluggish habits, and less sleep. The Arabic version of the survey showed excellent reliability. Conclusion: The COVID-19 epidemic restrictions had a bad impact on Egyptian children's play and movement patterns. Future initiatives to safeguard and advance child health should be considered.