Abstract
Over the last three years, governments worldwide have taken dramatic measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, such as through home-quarantine policies, closure of public facilities, and limitations on the range and duration of outdoor activities. The research reported here aimed at exploring different dimensions of the potential impacts of COVID-19 resulting from restrictions on children’s outdoor activities in Beijing, China. In-depth online interviews were conducted with 64 parent-child dyads living in Beijing in 2022, with open-ended data content analyzed. The results suggest the children’s physical health may have been adversely impacted, mainly with respect to vision and weight gain because of a more sedentary lifestyle, due to reduced time outdoors and increased digital screen time. Some also reported suffering psychological impacts. The increasing reliance on technology in children’s education has also raised parents’ concerns about the potential negative impacts on children’s academic performance and social skills. Some parents were concerned about their children being outside due to the risk of being infected. Children also missed out on opportunities further afield (than residential areas), such as school-sponsored excursions, depriving them of the cultural, environmental, and social experiences. For some families, though, shifting to remote learning and working from home allowed for more flexibility in scheduling and opportunities to spend more time outdoors nearby their homes (except during times of strict home-quarantine). Our findings suggest that children’s outdoor activities have been significantly compromised due to the COVID-19 restrictions in Beijing, which had some negative impacts on their overall health and well-being.
Presenters
Jianjiao LiuPhD candidate, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Raymond Green
Professor, Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Health Promotion and Education
KEYWORDS
CHILDREN, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING
