A new study has found that the combination of less exercise and more screen time has a negative impact on children and teenagers’ behavior and their mental health.

DETROIT Researchers said the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a major affect on activity, as people are taking significantly fewer steps. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and it looked at fitness tracker data from around the world and how many steps people have been taking. By 30 days into the pandemic, people were taking 27% fewer steps, the study found. Another study, published in the journal The Lancet, looked at mobile phone location data in the 25 most affected counties in the U.S. from Jan. 24 to April 17. Another study found passive stretching -- having someone else stretch muscles such as the calves -- can help improve blood flow and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.