Physical activity and mental health of students during COVID-19 pandemic

Research problem - with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most vulnerable groups is young people (JTBA, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affects young people, who are adversely affected by their health and well-being, including lost opportunities for education, volunteering and learning (European Parliament, 2021). It was this period that further reduced students physical activity. Research object – physical activity and mental health of students during quarantine. Research aim – to determine how 9–12 class students’ physical activity and mental health have changed after COVID–19 virus pandemic has started. Hypothesis - the study assumed that pupils were less physically active and emotionally impaired during the COVID-19 virus period. Tasks: 1. To analyze 9–12 class students’ physical activity and mental health before quarantine. 2. To rate 9–12 class students’ physical activity and mental health during quarantine. 3. To determine how physical activity habits and mental health has changed of 9–12 class students. Conclusions: 1. Before the start of COVID-19 pandemic, in Visaginas general education and other institutions, students were quite active, although boys were more active than girls. The vast majority of people 14–16 years old (about 55 %) and 17–19 years old (about 60 %) felt more joyful and energetic before quarantine. Until the beginning of COVID–19 pandemic and while students were studying at school, a statistically significant difference was found between the mean of the marks and the group of physical activity (active or passive). More active students had better marks and passive students studied worse having lower than 6,9 mark average. 2. The data of the study revealed that during COVID–19 pandemic insufficient physical activity was set to 64,2 % girls and 39,6 % boys. From the results, we see that PA (physical activity) has significantly decreased after the start of pandemic. A statistically significant difference was found comparing girls and boys physical activity group till quarantine and during quarantine (p