These are the slides for the IPARC conference, keynote presentation about the Impact of COVID-19 on adolescents physical activity engagement. IPARC is the Irish Physical Activity Research Collaboration and presentation was held in January 2021. In this talk, I describe briefly the importance of influencers among adolescents, some findings about PA and changes during COVID-19 and how the results fit into a Socio-Ecological Model. There were barriers and facilitators to physical activity during the Spring 2020 lockdown in Ireland. Schools, sport clubs, and gyms were closed, and people were restricted to move within a few km of their homes. Presentation was on 13th January 2021

1. Impact of COVID-19 on
adolescents physical activity
engagement
Kwok Ng, DS, PhD, MSc, BSc
PAfH, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick
School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland
i-parc.ie @IPARC_1
@kwokwng
#IPARC

2. Presentation Aims
and Outline
The aims of this presentation are to
cover an overview of the impact of
COVID-19 on adolescents’ physical
activity (PA) engagement, and
discuss the findings from Irish post-
primary students.
1. Background
2. International Findings
3. Irish Setting during Spring
2020 Lockdown
4. Barriers and Facilitators
5. Influencers for PA during
lockdown
6. Conclusions
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@kwokwng

3. Adolescents
Modified figure created by George Patton, based on Halfon & Hochstein (2002) https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.00019/
10yrs- -25yrs
-15yrs-
Post Primary Schools

4. COVID-19 Literature
Repository
(4300 articles)
37 Articles,
20 Original
Research
as of 12th January 2020
Published
papers on
Physical Activity
and Adolescents
27 Original
Research
Additional Physical Activity
and Adolescents Papers
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@kwokwng
Changes in PA = 11
Mental Health = 9
Comorbidity = 7
Obesity = 5
Health Literacy = 2
Academic Achievement = 1
Environment = 1
Finnish National Report:
Data collected April 2020
13-15y boys 2020
13-15y girls 2020
13-15y boys 2018
13-15y girls 2018
Average
steps/hr
Hours in a day
Step counter
https://www.liikuntaneuvosto.fi/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Koronapandemian-vaikutukset-vaeston-liikuntaan-paivitetty-23.11.2020.pdf

5. Czech COVID-19 HBSC Data collected May 2020
11y, 13y, 15y olds
Ng, Cosma, Svacina, Boniel-Nissim & Badura – PMR under review
65
57
38
16
25
30
30
26
11
13
32
58
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
more same less
https://www.liikuntaneuvosto.fi/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Koronapandemian-vaikutukset-vaeston-liikuntaan-paivitetty-23.11.2020.pdf
0-2 days/wk
3-4 days/wk
5-6 days/wk
7 days/wk
more same less
Last 7 days 16-19y olds
Self report
@IPARC_1
@kwokwng
28
27
16
10
19
48
37
30
18
31
24
36
55
72
50
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
7 days (15%)
5-6 days (26%)
3-4 days (34%)
0-2 days (25%)
Total (N=1214)
More PA during lockdown No change Less PA during lockdown
12-19y olds
Data collected April 2020
Ng, Cooper, McHale, Clifford & Woods, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000919

6. 2020
May (T3) COVID-19
2019
May (T1) Sept (T2)
2018
Sept (T0)
Version 1
DEIS
Girls
Mixed
Version 2
Boys
Girls
DEIS
Self-report
Data Collected: April 2020
@IPARC_1
@kwokwng

7. Self-report, 12-19y olds
Data Collected: April 2020
Coronavirus
Sport Facilities closed for
public or club training
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8. Policy
Environment
Inter-Individual
Intra-Individual
•“I can’t go outside for a walk due to quarantine and social
distancing. My parents don’t feel comfortable with me
going outside due to coronavirus” (inactive).
•“Because we’re not allowed (to) go (to) places except for
walks, so we just go for loads” (inactive).
•“I don’t have the space or equipment to keep going with
that (regular) training” (highly active).
•“Due to COVID-19 the sports I do is cancelled and I cannot
go outside apart one walk a day” (inactive).
•“COVID-19 and road closures meant our road was quieter”
(somewhat active).
•“as I don’t have anyone to tell me what to do as in a coach”
(somewhat active).
•“many celebrities [who] do live workouts which I
participate in” (somewhat active).
•“I was more eager to eat and binge Netflix, and sometimes I don’t even
want to go on walks” (inactive).
•“I didn’t have as much time due to studying and extra work” (highly active).
•“I had a lot of extra time on my hands so I decided to be more active and
improve my health” (highly active).
Socio-Ecological Model Barriers and Facilitators
•“I was more eager to eat and binge Netflix, and sometimes
I don’t even want to go on walks” (inactive).
•“I didn’t have as much time due to studying and extra
work” (highly active).
•“I have to stay healthy during quarantine” (highly active).
Data Collected:
April 2020
@IPARC_1
@kwokwng

9. Conclusions and Recommendations
•Provide activity ideas and
information
•Use the “free” time to
allow for personal growth
•Tailor approaches to the
least active, i.e. obesity
•Coaches & teachers
to be upskilled for
remote physical
training
•Family activities are
encouraged
•Streaming
companies could
prevent binge
viewing with
short celebrity-
led PA routines
•Appropriate
interactive apps
from males and
females
•Make equipment
available for use
Thank you for your attention! @IPARC_1
@kwokwng
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