The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Childhood Obesity: A Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed many families’ eating habits and lifestyles. The main aim of this study was to investigate the association between COVID-19 and childhood obesity across the scientific literature. Literature reviews have shown that the current COVID-19 pan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-09, Vol.15 (9), p.e45470-e45470
Main Authors: Ferentinou, Eftychia, Koutelekos, Ioannis, Pappa, Despoina, Manthou, Panagiota, Dafogianni, Chrysoula
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Childhood
Childrens health
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Eating behavior
Exercise
Health Policy
Nutrition
Obesity
Pandemics
Pediatrics
School closures
Shelter in place
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Summary:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed many families’ eating habits and lifestyles. The main aim of this study was to investigate the association between COVID-19 and childhood obesity across the scientific literature. Literature reviews have shown that the current COVID-19 pandemic may play a major negative role in the global fight against childhood obesity. School closures, changes in routine, loss of structure, and loss of control were negatively associated with childhood obesity during the COVID-19 period. In addition, physical inactivity, irregular sleep, increased smartphone/TV screen time, and sedentary life may have played a significant negative role in social distress among children and adolescents. It has been argued that school closures during the pandemic have the potential to increase the prevalence of childhood obesity. Finally, family violence was predicted to increase during the pandemic, putting already vulnerable children at increased risk. The pandemic caused significant morbidity and mortality, straining healthcare systems, shutting down economies, and closing school districts. Pandemic future planning should involve stakeholders, including governments, schools, and families, who should make every effort to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on childhood obesity.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.45470