Stuttgart / Karlsruhe (dpa / lk) – 28.5 minutes less sport a day, but an hour more in front of screens. The consequences of the corona pandemic can also be seen in fitness tests for children in the state. There are ways to counteract the negative trend.
Motor skills suffer from Corona
Children in Baden-Württemberg have lost their fitness as a result of the corona-related failures in school sports and gymnastics clubs. The “Fitnessbarometer” 2021 published on Wednesday by the Kinderturnstiftung Baden-Württemberg shows a negative trend in terms of motor skills. After nine months of a pandemic, i.e. at the end of last year, children tended to be slower and less persistent. In terms of strength, flexibility and coordination, this is “not (yet) the case,” it said. Numerous online exercise programs for at home could have compensated for the loss of other sports opportunities with these factors or even partially improved skills.
KIT examines the fitness of 3- to 10-year-olds
The results tie in with other studies on corona consequences, but according to the information they are the first for Baden-Württemberg. Since 2012, the foundation has been studying the fitness of three to ten year olds in the southwest with sports scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Statements about the lasting effects of the pandemic on children’s fitness will only be possible in the coming years, said Prof. Klaus Bös from KIT. But already now, guided exercise offers in gymnastics and sports clubs as well as in school in sports lessons should be possible again. “Otherwise the results will be devastating next year.”
28.5 minutes less exercise a day
In the unusually warm Corona spring 2020, children would have been able to live out their natural urge to move unhindered on bike tours with the family and walks in the forest, said his colleague Claudia Niessner. But the closure of gymnastics and sports clubs in lockdown meant an average of 28.5 minutes less organized sport per day. “At the same time, the screen media time increased by about an hour a day.” In order to stay active at home, the foundation, the Badischer Turner-Bund and the Schwäbische Turnerbund have developed several offers.
Preventing childhood obesity
Because of a higher intensity and the guidance of trained sports professionals, the quality of club sports is better, explained Susanne Weimann, managing director of the Kinderturnstiftung. “It therefore plays an important role in promoting motor skills and thus in building and maintaining fitness.” In addition, exercise promotes the psychological, social and cognitive development of children. According to the Robert Koch Institute, physical activity can also prevent the development of obesity (adiposity) in children and adolescents. According to the information, at least 90 minutes of physical activity per day are recommended for primary school children (six to eleven years of age). 60 minutes of this could consist of everyday activities such as going to school. The remaining 30 minutes, on the other hand, should have a high intensity and make the children sweat. “This is mainly achieved in physical education or club sports.”
Decline in membership in gymnastics clubs
But the pandemic has also triggered a decline in membership. The Swabian Gymnastics Association recently reported a drop of around 4.5 percent or around 32,000 members. The loss was particularly strong in the age group from zero to six years with 15 percent. According to the Corona regulation, which has been in force since Monday, school sports with an incidence below 35 are possible both outdoors and in the sports hall. With an incidence between 35 and 50, only low-contact sport may be taught in sports halls. If the incidence is between 50 and 100, according to the Ministry of Culture, with a few exceptions, physical education is only allowed outdoors.
Compulsory test for sport “not practicable”
Organized club sports may also take place outside of sports facilities and outdoor sports facilities with groups of up to 20 people. If the incidence falls below 100 in a city or rural district, after two weeks low-contact leisure and amateur sports are also possible indoors – but with a limit of one person per 20 square meters. In addition, there is an obligation to test or to submit proof of vaccination or recovery. Among other things, the state sports association had criticized that children between 6 and 14 years of age also needed a daily corona test for outdoor sports. This is “not practical and therefore not acceptable for sport”. According to the current regulation, a negative test certified by their school, which was made a maximum of 60 hours ago, is now sufficient for pupils.
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