Table 1 Questionnaire items and processing methods used for during COVID-19 first lockdown analysis
Variable(s) | Question(s) | Response option | Processing variable | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sufficiently physically active (normally doing 60 min of moderate-vigorous physical activity everyday) | a) for a normal weekday (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), during the last 7 days, how much physical activity did you do? (e.g. dancing, online exercise, games/sports, jobs at home, cycling). This can be anything that made you feel warmer, breathe harder or your heart beat faster.’ b) for a normal weekend day (Saturday, Sunday), during the last 7 days, how much physical activity did you do? (e.g. dancing, online exercise, games/sports, jobs at home, cycling). This can be anything that made you feel warmer, breathe harder or your heart beat faster.’ | a) No activity (0 min) b) small amount activity (1 to 30 min) c) small to moderate amount of activity (31 to 60 min) d) moderate to large amount of activity (1 to 2 h) e) large amount of activity (more than 2 h) | Children who selected either d) or e) (60 min or more) for both weekday and weekends were categorised as being sufficiently active (i.e. meeting guidelines of ≥ 60 min of MVPA) or not | Bespoke deriving of variable using Youth Activity Profilea |
Sedentary—watching TV Sedentary—playing video games Sedentary—using computers/tablets Sedentary—using mobile phone Sedentary—doing school work | During the last 7 days, on a normal day, how many hours did you spend doing the following activities while sitting or lying down? - watching TV (but not time spent play video games) - playing video games (on a game console e.g. PlayStation or switch, mobile phone, tablet or computer) - using computers/tablets (for social activity, e.g. social media, surfing web or video calling but not playing computer games or school work) - using mobile phone (to talk, text or socialise, e.g. social media, but not playing games - doing school work (in books or on a computer/tablet (e.g. maths, reading, topic work) | a) No activity b)1 h or less c)1–2 h d)3–4 h e) > 4 h | Children were asked to report on a Likert scale (0 = no time, 5 = 4 h or more) how much time they spent on a normal day in the last 7 days being sedentary (sitting, reclining or lying down) whilst watching television, playing video games, using a mobile phone, a computer/tablet. An additional question of ‘doing school work’ was also included to capture the amount of time children spent doing sedentary school work during COVID-19 restrictions. Categories were collapsed into < 1 h, 1–3 h, > 3 h, due to the small number of Responses for no activity and 4 h or more | Youth Activity Profile |
Sedentary screen time | Variable made up of sedentary TV, video games, using computer/tablets, mobile phone NOT school work | Derived variable | Each category was coded with a time amount (i.e. no time = 0, less than 1 h = 0.5, 1–2 h = 1.5, 3–4 h = 3.5, 4 h = 4)). Summed all of the time amounts to estimate normal time spent using screen. Children with > 2 h as not meeting screen time guidelines = 0, < 2 h meeting ST-guidelines = 1 | Bespoke deriving of variable using Youth Activity Profile |
Sleep | a) in the last seven days what time have you normally fallen asleep? b) in the last seven days what time have you normally woken up? | Free text | Using the time from each answer a self-reported average sleep time was estimated for each child Time in hours was then coded into either not meeting—less than 9 h, meeting—sleeping between 9–11 h, not meeting – sleeping more than 11 h | Bespoke |
Frequency of leaving the home (including garden/yard) a day | on a normal day in the last 7 days, how many times did you leave your home (away from your house and garden)? | a) Stayed at home b) left home once a day c) left the home more than once a day | Used categories as asked | Bespoke |
Duration of leaving the home (including garden/yard) a day | Children who reported leaving the home were asked - how long did you go for? | a) ≤ 30 min b) 31–60 min c) ≥ 60 min | Used categories as asked | Bespoke |
Type of activity—when leaving the home? | Children who reported leaving the home were asked - what did you usually do? (choose all that apply) | a) walk b) run/jog c) scoot/ride bike d) other [free text] | Free text answers were analysed by four trained researchers who assessed and agreed upon the following additional categories: Sports and games and Other (non-active pursuits such as travelling to see family and friends) | Bespoke |
Destination of activity—when leaving the home? | Children who reported leaving the home were asked - where did you usually go? | a) Street b) Park c)Non- park greenspace/nature d) Shops e) other [free text] | Free text answers were analysed by four trained researchers who assessed and agreed upon the following additional categories: non-park greenspace/nature (e.g. woods, canals, moors, countryside) and Other neighbourhood areas (all other responses) | Bespoke |