ArticleAIMS public health2023
Physical fitness in Austrian elementary school children prior to and post-COVID-19.
Article in AIMS public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Impact of COVID-19-Related Restrictions on the Incidence of Diaphyseal and Distal Forearm Fractures: A Retrospective Analysis.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Observational
- Physical fitness changes among school-aged children during the COVID-19 lockdown evaluated within the Hungarian National Student Fitness Test cohort.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on motor coordination in Italian school-aged children.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Trends in physical fitness among children and adolescents in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analyses during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of sport and health science · 2025Review
- Long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness in south American adults: a multi-country cross-sectional online survey.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2025Article
- Secular Trends of Children's Physical Fitness and the Impact of the COVID-Pandemic for Years 2012 to 2023.Sports medicine - open · 2025Article
- Association of School Social Status with COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Changes and Post-Pandemic Rebounds of Children's Physical Fitness.Sports medicine - open · 2025Article
- Impact of age, sex, body constitution, and the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical fitness of 38,084 German primary school children.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Article
- Effects of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on college students' physical fitness: A comparative study.PloS one · 2025Article
- Physical fitness among children with diverse weight status during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-wide, cohort study based on the Slovenian physical fitness surveillance system (SLOfit).The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2023Article
- Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Fundamental Motor Skills: A Study for the Taiwanese Preschoolers Teachers.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Covid Pandemic Effects on the Physical Fitness of Primary School Children: Results of the German EMOTIKON Project.Sports medicine - open · 2023Article
- Observed and perceived benefits of providing physical activity opportunities in elementary schools: a qualitative study.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented policies that included movement restrictions, social distancing and school closures in order to control the spread of the virus. Even though these actions may have been necessary to save lives, there have been some unintended consequences that could affect future public health. Methods: The present study uses data from more than 24,500 Austrian elementary school children (51.2% male) that participated in a state-wide fitness evaluation program, which was initiated in the 2016/17 school year. In addition to body weight and height, data on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular power, speed, agility, flexibility and object control were collected from three cohorts prior to the implementation of movement restrictions (school years: 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19) and one cohort in 2022, after the majority of COVID-19 policies had been lifted. Results: Body mass index percentiles were significantly higher in children post-COVID-19 (p < 0.01). Further, cardiorespiratory endurance, agility and flexibility were significantly lower post-COVID-19 compared to the years preceding movement restrictions (p ≤ 0.01), while absolute muscular strength was higher in the year 2022 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Given the detrimental effects of COVID-19 policies on physical fitness in children, additional efforts are necessary that include versatile opportunities for physical activity and the promotion of physical fitness in order to modify the observed negative health trajectories and ensure future public health.
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