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Journal of Sports Sciences Volume 42, 2024 - Issue 8
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Physical Activity, Health and Exercise

Back to ‘normal’? BMI, physical fitness and health-related quality of life of children from North East England before, during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns

Laura Basterfielda Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK;b Medical School, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKCorrespondence[email protected] [email protected]
ORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3245-7622View further author information
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Brook Galnaa Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK;c Centre for Healthy Ageing and School of Allied Health (Exercise Science), Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, AustraliaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5890-1894View further author information
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Naomi L Burnd UniSA Online, University of South Australia, Adelaide, AustraliaORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6189-4210View further author information
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Hannah Battena Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKView further author information
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Matthew Westone Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Science, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK;f Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UKORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9531-3004View further author information
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Louis Goffeb Medical School, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK;g NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration, Gateshead Council, Gateshead, UKORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3623-2458View further author information
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Matt Lawnh Walkergate Community School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKView further author information
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Kathryn L Westoni Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UKORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5918-6389View further author information
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Pages 688-700 | Received 10 Jun 2023, Accepted 17 May 2024, Published online: 31 May 2024

Figures & data

Table 1. Timeline of COVID-19 restrictions in place during the study period.

Figure 1. Raw and age- and sex-normalised body mass index (BMI) for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Superscript terms indicate significant differences between assessments T after Tukey’s corrections for multiple comparisons, p < 0.05; intercepts indicate the cohort mean at baseline (T0) for a boy. BMI was modelled using a gamma distribution and so estimates are multiplicative – for example, mean BMI at T2 is 111% of T0 (17.55 kg.m−2 × 1.11 = 19.48 kg.m−2). r2 values indicate marginal r2, namely, the variance explained by the fixed effects.
Figure 1. Raw and age- and sex-normalised body mass index (BMI) for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Figure 2. Fitness measures for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Superscript terms indicate significant differences between assessments T after Tukey’s corrections for multiple comparisons or sex Male, p < 0.05; Intercepts indicate the cohort mean at baseline (T0) for a boy. Estimates for Total Shuttles and grip strength are multiplicative – for example, mean grip strength at T2 is 134% of T0 (12.81 kg × 1.34 = 17.17 kg).
Figure 2. Fitness measures for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Figure 3. Quintiles for physical fitness showing proportion of children classed as “very high”, “high”, “moderate”, “low” and “very low” fitness level. Data from T0 (October 2019) to T3 (June 2022).

Figure 3. Quintiles for physical fitness showing proportion of children classed as “very high”, “high”, “moderate”, “low” and “very low” fitness level. Data from T0 (October 2019) to T3 (June 2022).

Figure 4. Health-related quality of life (T scores) across five domains for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Superscript terms indicate significant differences between assessments T after Tukey’s corrections for multiple comparisons or sex Male, p < 0.05; Intercepts indicate the cohort mean at baseline (T0) for a boy.
Figure 4. Health-related quality of life (T scores) across five domains for each child (light grey line) across each assessment (the cohort mean is indicated by open black circles).

Table 2. Predictors of change in normalised BMI (BMIz) from T1 to T3 (Change = T3 - T1), adjusted r2 = 36.3%.

Figure 5. Associations between baseline (T0) shuttle run performance, increase in shuttle run performance between T0 and T1, and increase in shuttle run performance between T1 and T3.

Second, additional analysis showed that sustained post-lockdown sport participation (reported playing in any sport club at T2 and T3) was associated with better 20mSRT at T3 (r2 = 14%, p < 0.001).
Figure 5. Associations between baseline (T0) shuttle run performance, increase in shuttle run performance between T0 and T1, and increase in shuttle run performance between T1 and T3.

Body mass index (BMI)

Fitness outcomes

Health-related quality of life domains

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