Media Coverage – Barriers and facilitators to changes in adolescent physical activity during COVID-19
The spring lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic included school, sport facilities and fitness places closing. Moreover, in a strict lockdown, people were not allowed to travel outside of a few km from their homes. This meant that students at schools were being taught at home and were not given the opportunities they are used to for remaining physically active.
A team of researchers in the University of Limerick, led by Prof. Catherine Woods, have published findings regarding the impact of COVID-19 in over a thousand adolescents (N=1214) aged between 12-18 year olds from 6 Active School Flag (Post-primary) pilot schools. The paper highlights the barriers and facilitators to changes in physical activity during COVID-19 and provides recommendations for the future. An implication of these results is the need for schools, communities, public health and industry to adopt more adolescent friendly approaches to messaging, restrictions and provision of age-appropriate resources.
These findings have now been featured on national and local media. You can find out more about this research by clicking the links or checking out the infographic below:
RTE Radio 1 Drivetime (interview with Prof. Woods starts at 1 hour 54 minutes)
Original Press Release (I-PARC)
Published in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine
Authors (click for Twitter accounts): Kwok Ng, Jemima Cooper, Fiona McHale, Joanna Clifford, Catherine Woods
Affiliation: Physical Activity for Health Research Cluster, Health Research Institute, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
