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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – The COVID-19 pandemic has been reported in more than 200 countries causing massive illness, hospitalization and death. Following the US declaration of a national emergency, one of the earliest and most widely adopted public policies was school closures beginning mid- to end of March. Eventually, most states canceled school through the end of the year and remote learning, minus physical education and organized sports became the norm. It still remains unclear when and to what degree summer sports will be allowed and if school will reopen after the summer break. All those decisions will depend on how the pandemic evolves over the coming months.
In 2018 it was estimated that 18.5% of children, aged 2 to 19 (13.7 million kids) were obese. Body mass index (BMI) is a categorization by height and weight that is used to determine if a child is overweight or obese. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile as compared to children of the same age and sex. For example, a 10-year-old boy of average height (56 inches) who weighs 102 pounds would have a BMI in the 95th percentile. He would be categorized as obese. This means he weighs more than 95% of the boys in his age group.
Being overweight as a child has both immediate and long range health effects such as sleep apnea, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and some types of cancer. Being inactive is one of the major contributors to childhood obesity. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, recommends 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for kids. More than three quarters of children did not meet this goal before the pandemic.
Add shelter-at-home rules, no physical education or recess at school, parks and recreation centers closed, organized sports curtailed, coupled with the continued access to food and snacks and unending screen time and you have the perfect scenario for weight gain. Energy input (calories) may increase, and even if it remains unchanged, energy expenditure (calorie used) had decreased significantly. This is especially true in urban settings where access to open outdoor spaces may be limited or prohibited. Living under these conditions for months on end creates an energy imbalance and the probability of weight gain.
The pandemic shut down may have greater consequences for boys. Boys are generally heavier than girls and have larger appetites but they are often more active. The decrease in physical activity without a compensatory decrease in calories, which is unlikely, will result in a substantial energy surplus and subsequent weight gain.
Most of the current research on COVID-19 has focused on how the virus operates and what clinical interventions and medicines can be used to help people get well. This should be the immediate focus of our attention, however, the social impact of the pandemic has received far less attention. These issues could have long-term health and economic consequences that may be greater than the disease infection itself.
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis, have used modeling to predict how lack of activity and too many calories will affect children’s weight. They suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may result in 1.27 million new childhood obesity cases. A study on a small number of Italian children found the lockdowns implemented caused many children to eat an additional meal each day, sleep an extra half hour, and spend nearly 5 hours a day on their phones, computers or in front of the TV. Physical activity decreased by more than two hours a week. Being in school every day provides structure and routine to a child’s life. It limits availability to food except during structured meals and snacks. It introduces daily physical activity through physical education, recess and even walking to and from school. Plus, it dictates a regular sleep schedule. Food, physical activity and sleep are the three important lifestyle factors that can either contribute to obesity or help to control it when applied in a healthy routine.
Many factors impact children’s energy use and weight gain during the pandemic including elevated stress, change in diet, change in daily routine, and change in sleep patterns. Many experts have noted that physical activity is one tool people can use to help control COVID-19 infections. Some kids will cope with the pandemic better than others. Some will remain as active as they can, others will not. Finding ways to get kids active again is very important as the country attempts to open up over the summer months.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com or on twitter: @JoAnnHeslinRD.