Sociodemographic correlates of perceived COVID-19 impact on movement behaviors in Croatian school-aged children

Abstract Background Levels of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep, as important determinants of children’s health and weight status, may have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine factors associated with parental perception of COVID-19 negative impact in PA, SB, and sleep during the COVID-19 period, and whether the parental perception of COVID-19 negative impact was associated with actual post-lockdown behavioral levels among 2nd and 3rd grade elementary school students in Croatia. Method Data was gathered on a nationally representative sample of Croatian children participating in the CroCOSI 2021/2022 study. The final sample consisted of 5438 children (male = 51.4%, female = 48.6%) aged 7 to 10 years ( M = 9.03, SD = 0.61). Risk and protective factors included children’s weight status, demographics, and socioeconomic status (SES) variables. Parents completed the paper surveys on children’s actual post-lockdown behavioral levels in PA, SB and sleep, and the perceived COVID-19 negative impact on these behaviors. Results Multinomial logistic regression models showed that the parental perception of negative COVID-19 impact on active play, screen time, and learning time was associated with various SES indicators, child-related variables, and degree of urbanization. Parents with high education levels were more likely to perceive a negative impact across all behaviors. Children of parents with high education compared to low had a higher likelihood of parental perception of COVID-19 negative impact on screen time (weekdays: OR = 0.48; CI = 0.40, 0.56; weekend: OR = 0.59; CI = 0.50, 0.70), learning time ( OR = 0.49; CI = 0.41, 0.58), and active play (weekdays: OR = 0.57; CI = 0.48, 0.68; weekend: OR = 0.71; CI = 0.59, 0.86), but also to a higher likelihood of parents perceiving positive changes in active play. On the other hand, lower perceived family wealth increased the odds of parental perception of COVID-19 negative impact on active play (weekdays: OR = 1.40; CI = 1.08, 1.81; weekends: OR = 1.42; CI = 1.10, 1.82) and screen time (weekdays: OR = 1.36; CI = 1.07, 1.74; weekends: OR = 1.51; CI = 1.19, 1.91), while on weekends it was also linked to perceived positive changes in screen time ( OR = 2.07; CI = 1.11, 3.83). Regarding the second study aim, complex samples of general linear models showed that the parental perception of negative COVID-19 impact was significantly associated with actual post-lockdown active play and screen time levels. A parental perception of COVID-19 negative impact on active play corresponded to about 12 min less active play per weekday and weekend day post-lockdown, while a parental perception of increased screen time was associated with about 12 min more screen time per weekday and 28 min more screen time per weekend day post-lockdown. Conclusion The study results suggest that the parental perception of COVID-19 impact on children’s movement behaviors varied according to sociodemographic factors of the children and their families, and was also associated with certain post-lockdown movement behavior in children. These findings highlight the need for targeted public health strategies that provide safe and accessible opportunities for play and physical activity while reducing excessive screen time. Continuous multisectoral efforts are important for promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing childhood obesity.