Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36964625›Full record

Observational studyJournal of physiological anthropology2023

Association between decreased grip strength in preschool children and the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study from 2015 to 2021.

Atsumu Yuki, Yumi Tamase, Mika Nakayama

Open access · goldFull text readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of physiological anthropology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Atsumu YukiFaculty of Education, Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono, Kochi City, Kochi, 780-8520, Japan. ats.yuki.73@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5345-512X
Yumi TamaseFaculty of Education, Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono, Kochi City, Kochi, 780-8520, Japan.
Mika NakayamaKindergarten affiliated with the Faculty of Education, Kochi University, 10-26 Odu, Kochi City, Kochi, 780-0915, Japan.
Akebono (Japan) · JPKōchi University · JP

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science London 17K13246Kochi University Unit-based bottom-up research project grants
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reduced people's physical activity. It is essential to accumulate knowledge regarding the influence of COVID-19 on the stimulation of physical fitness and physical functions. Several studies have reported the effects of COVID-19 on physical fitness; however, there are very few reports regarding preschoolers. This study aimed to compare the physical fitness of preschoolers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to clarify the effects of curtailment of outings implemented to control the pandemic on physical fitness among preschoolers.

methodsThe subjects were 593 Japanese preschool children enrolled at a kindergarten during 2015-2019 and in 2021 who received a physical fitness test. Children enrolled in 2020 who did not receive a physical fitness test because of the COVID-19 pandemic were excluded. The physical fitness test included grip strength, standing long jump, and a 25-m run. The relationship between physical fitness level and survey year was analyzed using a general linear model, with grip strength and standing long jump as dependent variables, year of study as the independent variable, and sex and age in months as adjusted variables. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze data for the 25-m run. Multiple comparisons were used to compare fitness levels between 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) with levels in previous years.

resultsSignificant relationships were found between survey year and each of grip strength (p < 0.001), standing long jump (p < 0.05), and 25-m run (p < 0.001) among the overall subjects. Grip strength was significantly lower in 2021 compared with the 2016-2019 period. Similarly, sub-stratification analysis by sex showed that grip strength was lower in 2021 than in previous survey years, in both sexes. However, there was no difference in standing long jump or 25-m run times between before and during the pandemic among the overall subjects or according to sex.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on the development of muscle strength in preschoolers, and suggest the need to develop strategies that could promote the development of muscle strength of preschool children when limitations are placed on activity during prolonged infectious disease pandemics.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsChild, PreschoolExerciseFemaleHand StrengthHumansMaleMuscle StrengthPhysical FitnessDevelopment of physical fitnessMuscle strengthSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID36964625
PMCPMC10036968
OpenAlexW4360866211

What OpenQuestion holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.