Getting off screens and getting active can help kids' mental health during the pandemic

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-10-02 01:00

International

A survey of families with kids aged 6-10 conducted during the pandemic has found that kids who were more physically active and spent less time on screens tended to have better mental health. The study found that, on average, kids were spending 4.4 hours a day on screens and they were active for 60 minutes around four days each week. After accounting for variations in COVID-19 impacts on families, the study found that younger kids who did 60 minutes of physical activity seven days a week had better mental health indicators, while for older kids as little as one day a week of physical activity seemed to help with mental health.

Media release

From: JAMA

Association of Children’s Physical Activity, Screen Time With Mental Health During Pandemic

JAMA Network Open
Original Investigation

Association of Children’s Physical Activity and Screen Time With Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

What The Study Did: This survey study describes the association of physical activity and screen time with mental health among U.S. children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authors: Pooja S. Tandon, M.D., M.P.H., of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, is the corresponding author.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27892)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, USA

Funder: This study was supported by a grant from the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Research Integration Hub.

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