Physical Activity Types Among School-Aged Children During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
:1. Background
2. Methods
2.1. Survey Components
- Demographic information
- 2.
- Physical activity types:
2.2. Data Collection
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variables | Categories | Mean (SD)/n (%) |
---|---|---|
Child demographic profile | ||
Age | Years, mean (SD) | 7.66 (1.1) |
Sex | Female, n (%) | 190 (52.63) |
Male, n (%) | 171 (47.37) | |
Siblings | None, n (%) | 29 (8.03) |
1, n (%) | 110 (30.47) | |
2, n (%) | 104 (28.80) | |
3, n (%) | 57 (15.78) | |
>3, n (%) | 61 (16.89) | |
Area of living | Central region, n (%) | 184 (50.96) |
Western region, n (%) | 123 (34.07) | |
Eastern region, n (%) | 42 (11.63) | |
Northern region, n (%) | 6 (1.66) | |
Southern region, n (%) | 6 (1.66) | |
Residence type | House with yard, n (%) | 232 (64.26) |
House without yard, n (%) | 118 (32.68) | |
Other, n (%) | 11 (3.04) | |
Caregiver demographic profile | ||
Relationship to the child | Mother, n (%) | 343 (95.01) |
Father, n (%) | 11 (3.04) | |
Other, n (%) | 7 (1.93) | |
Highest level of education completed | Intermediate school, n (%) | 4 (1.10) |
High school, n (%) | 31 (8.58) | |
Diploma, n (%) | 24 (6.64) | |
Bachelor’s, n (%) | 218 (60.38) | |
Master’s, n (%) | 63 (14.40) | |
PhD, n (%) | 32 (8.86) |
Type of Physical Activity | Pre-COVID-19 | During COVID-19 Lockdown | After COVID-19 Lockdown | X2 | p |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No physical activity | 25 (2.3) | 80 (7.4) | 45 (4.2) | 36 | <0.001 |
Swimming | 183 (16.9) | 139 (12.8) | 162 (15) | 10.9 | <0.01 |
Jumping (high intensity) | 106 (9.8) | 72 (6.6) | 71 (6.6) | 12.4 | <0.01 |
Bicycle | 139 (12.8) | 104 (9.6) | 74 (6.8) | 28.3 | <0.001 |
Rope jumping | 40 (3.7) | 27 (2.5) | 28 (2.6) | 3.62 | 0.16 |
Football | 155 (14.3) | 66 (6.1) | 60 (5.5) | 81.6 | <0.001 |
Basketball | 16 (1.5) | 7 (0.6) | 7 (0.6) | 5.55 | 0.06 |
Volleyball | 6 (0.6) | 8 (0.7) | 3 (0.3) | 2.27 | 0.32 |
High intensity climbing | 22 (2) | 12 (1.1) | 11 (1) | 5.15 | 0.07 |
Running | 101 (9.3) | 60 (5.5) | 60 (5.5) | 19.1 | <0.001 |
Walking | 78 (7.2) | 79 (7.3) | 51 (4.7) | 9.01 | <0.05 |
Dancing | 75 (6.9) | 78 (7.2) | 84 (7.8) | 0.68 | 0.71 |
Yoga | 5 (0.5) | 8 (0.7) | 8 (0.7) | 0.87 | 0.64 |
Virtual gaming exercise | 54 (5) | 35 (3.2) | 19 (1.8) | 18.9 | <0.001 |
Exercise with family member | 52 (4.8) | 63 (5.8) | 49 (4.5) | 2.35 | 0.31 |
Playground activity | 122 (11.3) | 44 (4.1) | 74 (6.8) | 49.7 | <0.001 |
Zumba | 23 (2.1) | 18 (1.7) | 22 (2) | 0.70 | 0.70 |
I don’t know | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 8 (0.7) | 9.89 | <0.01 |
Other | 72 (6.6) | 38 (3.5) | 78 (7.2) | 18 | <0.001 |
Type of Physical Activity | Pre-COVID-19 | During COVID-19 Lockdown | After COVID-19 Lockdown | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male | Female | X2 | Male | Female | X2 | Male | Female | X2 | |
No physical activity | 14 (1.3) | 11 (1) | 0.80 | 46 (4.2) | 34 (3.1) | 4.22 * | 27 (2.5) | 18 (1.7) | 3.29 |
Swimming | 78 (7.2) | 105 (9.7) | 3.35 | 58 (5.4) | 81 (7.5) | 2.88 | 80 (7.4) | 82 (7.6) | 0.47 |
Jumping (high intensity) | 46 (4.2) | 60 (5.5) | 0.74 | 31 (2.9) | 41 (3.8) | 0.67 | 35 (3.2) | 36 (3.3) | 0.13 |
Bicycle | 70 (6.5) | 69 (6.4) | 0.81 | 54 (5) | 50 (4.6) | 1.21 | 40 (3.7) | 34 (3.1) | 1.66 |
Rope jumping | 4 (0.4) | 36 (3.3) | 25.2 ** | 3 (0.3) | 24 (2.2) | 15.4 ** | 5 (0.5) | 23 (2.1) | 10.6 * |
Football | 117 (10.8) | 38 (3.5) | 86.1 ** | 48 (4.4) | 18 (1.7) | 20.8 ** | 48 (4.4) | 12 (1.1) | 30.7 ** |
Basketball | 10 (0.9) | 6 (0.6) | 1.53 | 4 (0.4) | 3 (0.3) | 0.27 | 6 (0.6) | 1 (0.1) | 4.21 * |
Volleyball | 2 (0.2) | 4 (0.4) | 0.48 | 1 (0.1) | 7 (0.6) | 3.99 * | 2 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | 0.45 |
High intensity climbing | 10 (0.9) | 12 (1.1) | 0.95 | 9 (0.8) | 3 (0.3) | 3.80 | 5 (0.5) | 6 (0.6) | 0.01 |
Running | 48 (4.4) | 53 (4.9) | 0.001 | 24 (2.2) | 36 (3.3) | 1.56 | 30 (2.8) | 30 (2.8) | 0.19 |
Walking | 32 (3) | 46 (4.2) | 1.61 | 33 (3) | 46 (4.2) | 1.27 | 17 (1.6) | 34 (3.1) | 4.96 * |
Dancing | 9 (0.8) | 66 (6.1) | 47.5 ** | 16 (1.5) | 62 (5.7) | 28.8 ** | 15 (1.4) | 69 (6.4) | 38.2 ** |
Yoga | 0 (0) | 5 (0.5) | 4.56 * | 2 (0.2) | 6 (0.6) | 1.64 | 1 (0.1) | 7 (0.6) | 3.99 * |
Virtual gaming exercise | 15 (1.4) | 39 (3.6) | 9.78 * | 12 (1.1) | 23 (2.1) | 2.66 | 6 (0.6) | 13 (1.2) | 2.01 |
Exercise with family member | 17 (1.6) | 35 (3.2) | 5.25 * | 23 (2.1) | 40 (3.7) | 3.61 | 15 (1.4) | 34 (3.1) | 6.39 * |
Playground activity | 39 (3.6) | 83 (7.7) | 17.53 ** | 21 (1.9) | 23 (2.1) | 0.002 | 34 (3.1) | 40 (3.7) | 0.07 |
Zumba | 2 (0.2) | 21 (1.9) | 14.74 ** | 4 (0.4) | 14 (1.3) | 4.81* | 3 (0.3) | 19 (1.8) | 10.69 * |
I don’t know | 0 (0) | 1 (0.1) | 0.90 | 0 (0) | 1 (0.1) | 0.90 | 7 (0.6) | 1 (0.1) | 5.28 * |
Other | 36 (3.3) | 36 (3.3) | 0.25 | 22 (2) | 16 (1.5) | 1.88 | 39 (3.6) | 39 (3.6) | 0.27 |
Predictors | Odds Ratio | 95% CI | p |
---|---|---|---|
A: pre-COVID-19 period | |||
Age, years | 1.08 | 0.73–1.61 | 0.68 |
Gender | |||
Male | Reference category | ||
Female | 0.65 | 0.28–1.48 | 0.30 |
Number of siblings | 1.23 | 0.86–1.76 | 0.23 |
Caregiver education level | |||
Highly educated | Reference category | ||
Not highly educated | 0.87 | 0.28–2.73 | 0.82 |
Residence type | |||
House with yard | Reference category | ||
House without yard | 1.42 | 0.58–3.47 | 0.43 |
Other | 1.64 | 0.18–14.6 | 0.65 |
B: During COVID-19 lockdown period | |||
Age, years | 0.95 | 0.75–1.21 | 0.73 |
Gender | |||
Male | Reference category | ||
Female | 0.55 | 0.33–0.993 | 0.02 |
Number of siblings | 0.93 | 0.74–1.17 | 0.56 |
Caregiver education level | |||
Highly educated | Reference category | ||
Not highly educated | 0.83 | 0.40–1.74 | 0.63 |
Residence type | |||
House with yard | Reference category | ||
House without yard | 2.06 | 1.19–3.54 | 0.009 |
Other | 4.17 | 1.13–15.42 | 0.03 |
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Alghadier, M.; Basuodan, R.M.; Gmmash, A.; Albesher, R.A. Physical Activity Types Among School-Aged Children During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Life 2025, 15, 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010091
Alghadier M, Basuodan RM, Gmmash A, Albesher RA. Physical Activity Types Among School-Aged Children During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Life. 2025; 15(1):91. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010091
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlghadier, Mshari, Reem M. Basuodan, Afnan Gmmash, and Reem A. Albesher. 2025. "Physical Activity Types Among School-Aged Children During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study" Life 15, no. 1: 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010091
APA StyleAlghadier, M., Basuodan, R. M., Gmmash, A., & Albesher, R. A. (2025). Physical Activity Types Among School-Aged Children During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Life, 15(1), 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010091