Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the childcare industry over the past two years. This study examined how pandemic-related challenges impacted preschool-aged children by disability and obesity status. Participants were 216 children (80% Hispanic, 14% non-Hispanic Black) aged 2 to 5 years...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/4/619 |
| _version_ | 1797605933609648128 |
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| author | Ruby A. Natale Erika Paola Viana Cardenas Parisa Varanloo Ruixuan Ma Yaray Agosto Joanne Palenzuela Julieta Hernandez Michelle Schladant Martha Bloyer Sarah E. Messiah |
| author_facet | Ruby A. Natale Erika Paola Viana Cardenas Parisa Varanloo Ruixuan Ma Yaray Agosto Joanne Palenzuela Julieta Hernandez Michelle Schladant Martha Bloyer Sarah E. Messiah |
| author_sort | Ruby A. Natale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the childcare industry over the past two years. This study examined how pandemic-related challenges impacted preschool-aged children by disability and obesity status. Participants were 216 children (80% Hispanic, 14% non-Hispanic Black) aged 2 to 5 years in 10 South Florida childcare centers. In November/December 2021, parents completed a COVID-19 Risk and Resiliency Questionnaire, and body mass index percentile (BMI) was collected. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association of COVID-19 pandemic-related social challenges (transportation, employment) and child BMI and disability status. As compared to normal-weight children, those families with a child who was obese were more likely to report pandemic-related transportation (OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.03–6.28) challenges and food insecurity (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.05–6.43). Parents of children with disabilities were less likely to report that food did not last (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07–0.48) and that they could not afford balanced meals (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13–0.85). Spanish-speaking caregivers were more likely to have a child who was obese (OR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.19–8.52). The results suggest that COVID-19 impacts obese preschool children from Hispanic backgrounds, while disability was a protective factor. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:08:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ac0ab0328c441f3acf629de75fe2b6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:08:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ac0ab0328c441f3acf629de75fe2b6b2023-11-17T18:45:18ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672023-03-0110461910.3390/children10040619Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and ObesityRuby A. Natale0Erika Paola Viana Cardenas1Parisa Varanloo2Ruixuan Ma3Yaray Agosto4Joanne Palenzuela5Julieta Hernandez6Michelle Schladant7Martha Bloyer8Sarah E. Messiah9Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADivision of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Science, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mailman Center for Child Development, Miami, FL 33130, USADepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USAUniversity of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health, Dallas Campus, Dallas, TX 75390, USAThe COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the childcare industry over the past two years. This study examined how pandemic-related challenges impacted preschool-aged children by disability and obesity status. Participants were 216 children (80% Hispanic, 14% non-Hispanic Black) aged 2 to 5 years in 10 South Florida childcare centers. In November/December 2021, parents completed a COVID-19 Risk and Resiliency Questionnaire, and body mass index percentile (BMI) was collected. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association of COVID-19 pandemic-related social challenges (transportation, employment) and child BMI and disability status. As compared to normal-weight children, those families with a child who was obese were more likely to report pandemic-related transportation (OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.03–6.28) challenges and food insecurity (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.05–6.43). Parents of children with disabilities were less likely to report that food did not last (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07–0.48) and that they could not afford balanced meals (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13–0.85). Spanish-speaking caregivers were more likely to have a child who was obese (OR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.19–8.52). The results suggest that COVID-19 impacts obese preschool children from Hispanic backgrounds, while disability was a protective factor.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/4/619COVID-19childcare industrypreschool age childrendisabilityobesityBMI |
| spellingShingle | Ruby A. Natale Erika Paola Viana Cardenas Parisa Varanloo Ruixuan Ma Yaray Agosto Joanne Palenzuela Julieta Hernandez Michelle Schladant Martha Bloyer Sarah E. Messiah Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity Children COVID-19 childcare industry preschool age children disability obesity BMI |
| title | Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity |
| title_full | Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity |
| title_fullStr | Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity |
| title_short | Social Challenges as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic among South Florida Preschool Children with Disability and Obesity |
| title_sort | social challenges as a consequence of the covid 19 pandemic among south florida preschool children with disability and obesity |
| topic | COVID-19 childcare industry preschool age children disability obesity BMI |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/4/619 |
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