New Nature Study Reveals Links Between Parental and Child Physical Activity, Screen Time in Early COVID-19 Canada

A New Nature Study Illuminates Parental Influence on Child Movement During Early COVID-19 in Canada

In the chaotic early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian families faced unprecedented disruptions to daily routines, including school closures, remote work, and strict lockdowns. A newly published study in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, a Nature portfolio journal, reveals critical links between parents' and children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time (ST). Conducted by researchers from the University of Calgary, this research underscores how parental behaviors modeled healthy—or unhealthy—habits for kids aged 5 to 17 during April to June 2020 in Calgary.

The study draws from the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth, which recommend at least 60 minutes of MVPA daily, no more than two hours of recreational screen time, and 9-11 hours of sleep for optimal health. With pandemic restrictions amplifying family time, understanding these dyadic relationships offers timeless lessons for promoting active lifestyles, especially in higher education fields like kinesiology and public health.

Methodology: Capturing Real-Time Pandemic Behaviors in Calgary Families

University of Calgary researchers Lyah A. Ng, Patricia K. Doyle-Baker, and Gavin R. McCormack analyzed survey data from 329 parent-child dyads randomly sampled from Calgary households. Parents reported their own weekly MVPA hours and recreational ST, alongside their child's daily MVPA (meeting or not the 60-minute guideline), ST participation (≥2 hours in at least one activity), and sociodemographics. Data collection coincided with Alberta's first wave lockdowns, providing a snapshot of behaviors under stay-at-home orders.

Logistic regression models adjusted for covariates like child age, sex, and parent education revealed odds ratios (OR) for associations. The sample balanced 149 girls and 180 boys (mean age 10.7 years), with parents averaging 42.7 years (67% female). Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Vivo for Healthier Generations, this rigorous secondary analysis highlights UCalgary's leadership in community health research.

• Child MVPA measured as achieving ≥60 min daily, 7 days/week.
• Parent MVPA: self-reported weekly hours.
• ST: recreational hours for parents; child engagement in ≥2h activities.

Key Finding 1: Parents' MVPA Directly Boosts Children's Daily Activity Levels

Parents engaging in more weekly MVPA significantly increased the likelihood of their children meeting the 60-minute daily MVPA guideline every day (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09 per additional hour). This 5% higher odds per parent hour demonstrates modeling's power—even amid lockdowns, active parents inspired consistent child movement.

In Calgary's context, where parks remained accessible but organized sports halted, family walks or backyard play became vital. This aligns with pre-pandemic evidence but gains urgency post-restrictions, suggesting family-based interventions could reverse ongoing low PA trends—only 20-30% of Canadian kids met MVPA guidelines even before COVID.

Screen Time Correlations: Parental Habits Fuel Children's Sedentary Patterns

Conversely, higher parental recreational ST reduced children's chances of daily MVPA (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99 per hour) and raised odds of ≥2 hours in one ST activity (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.19). With schools online and entertainment streaming, parents' device use normalized excess ST for kids, exacerbating sedentary risks like obesity and mental health issues.

A related Dalhousie University study (Caldwell et al., 2025) confirmed weak but significant parent-child correlations across MVPA, ST, and sleep nationally in 2020-2021, with parental guideline adherence tripling child compliance odds. Post-pandemic, Canadian youth screen time remains elevated, averaging over 3 hours daily, far above guidelines.

Statistical Breakdown: Interpreting Odds Ratios and Confidence Intervals

The study's covariate-adjusted models provide robust evidence. For MVPA, each parent hour tips odds 5% higher (OR 1.05), with the CI excluding 1 confirming significance. ST's inverse (OR 0.97 MVPA, 1.12 high ST) shows bidirectional influence—sedentary parents both discourage activity and encourage screens.

These metrics, from logistic regression, control for confounders like age and income, enhancing generalizability to urban Canadian families.

COVID-19's Lasting Legacy on Canadian Kids' Activity and Screen Habits

Pre-pandemic, only 10-20% of Canadian children met combined 24-hour guidelines; COVID halved MVPA further while doubling ST. StatsCan reports youth PA down 14% by 2023, with persistent gaps—girls and low-income kids hit hardest. UCalgary's findings explain why: familial modeling amplified disruptions.

Post-reopening, recovery lags; 2024 surveys show 43% strength training but outdoor time just 2 hours/day. This informs policy like Alberta's active schools initiatives.

Implications for Public Health: Family-Centered Interventions Needed

The study advocates targeting parents in promotions—worksite PA programs or family challenges could cascade benefits. Limitations include self-reports (potential bias) and Calgary focus, but aligns with national data.

• Integrate into school reopenings: parent-child PA workshops.
• Digital tools: apps tracking family MVPA/ST.
• Equity focus: support low-SES families with free community access.

CIHR funding underscores federal priority; similar to Dalhousie's national surveys.

University of Calgary's Pivotal Role in Pandemic Health Research

UCalgary's Faculty of Kinesiology, home to labs like Relationships and Exercise, led this via experts like Gavin R. McCormack (urban PA specialist) and Patricia K. Doyle-Baker (public health). Lyah Ng, a research assistant, exemplifies emerging talent.

Amid COVID, UCalgary advanced newcomer youth sport studies and EXCEL oncology PA. This positions Canadian universities as hubs for translational research, fostering careers in epidemiology and behavioral science.

Post-Pandemic Applications: Reviving Active Families in 2026

Though data from 2020, relevance endures—StatsCan notes ongoing PA deficits. Hybrid work/school sustains modeling opportunities; universities like UCalgary offer family wellness courses.

Actionable: Parents log MVPA via apps like Strava, co-set ST limits. Educators integrate via PE parent nights. For higher ed, this boosts demand for public health grads designing interventions.

Career Pathways in Kinesiology and Public Health Research at Canadian Universities

This study exemplifies opportunities in Canada's robust higher ed sector. Roles at UCalgary, Dalhousie, or UBC include research assistants (like Ng), professors in kinesiology, or CIHR-funded epidemiologists studying family health.

• Adapt research assistant skills for Canada
• Postdocs: Analyze MVPA data, OR 1.05 insights into policy.
• Faculty: Lead labs like UCalgary's Relationships and Exercise.

With PA deficits persisting, demand grows for experts bridging families and guidelines.

Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash

Future Directions: Scaling Family Interventions Nationwide

Researchers call for longitudinal trials testing parent-targeted apps or community programs. Integrating with ParticipACTION's report cards could amplify impact. UCalgary's ethics restrict data sharing, but supplementary questionnaires aid replication.

Explore Rate My Professor for kinesiology insights, higher-ed-jobs for roles, or career advice in public health. Canadian universities drive solutions—join the movement.