Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds
Abstract Background Childhood obesity is associated with various health outcomes. Restrictive measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, like lockdowns and school closures, affected children’s daily structure, physical activity, dietary habits, and sleep qual...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Sports Medicine - Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00687-8 |
| _version_ | 1827327354060406784 |
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| author | Ludwig Piesch Robert Stojan Jochen Zinner Dirk Büsch Katharina Utesch Till Utesch |
| author_facet | Ludwig Piesch Robert Stojan Jochen Zinner Dirk Büsch Katharina Utesch Till Utesch |
| author_sort | Ludwig Piesch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Childhood obesity is associated with various health outcomes. Restrictive measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, like lockdowns and school closures, affected children’s daily structure, physical activity, dietary habits, and sleep quality, possibly exacerbating risk factors for childhood obesity and higher body mass index (BMI) in children. Poor socioeconomic conditions may have led to relatively higher risk for elevated BMI levels following pandemic measures. In this study, the impact of measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the BMI of third graders was investigated regarding children’s socioeconomic background (SEB). Methods Data from 41,728 children (8.84 ± 0.56 years, 20,431 female) were collected in the context of a cohort study. Children were tested either before the pandemic (preCOVID: Sept2017–March2020, n = 26,314), or following the first (postLDI: Aug2020–Dec2020, n = 6657) or second lockdown in Germany (postLDII: Aug2021–Jan2022, n = 8757). SEB was based on the official school type classification of the state of Berlin. Outcome was BMI standard deviation scores (SDS). Results Significant effects of Time and SEB revealed elevated BMIs in postLDI (M = 0.23, p = 0.011) and postLDII (M = 0.22, p = 0.011) compared to preCOVID (M = 0.17) cohorts and higher BMIs for children with lower SEB (b = − 0.13, p < 0.001). A significant Time × SEB interaction indicated that the effect of SEB on children’s BMI increased in response to lockdowns, especially in postLDII (b = − 0.05, p = 0.006). Results suggest that the COVID-19-related measures lead to increased BMI in children, and that children of lower SEB were at particular risk for higher BMIs following lockdowns. Conclusions These findings highlight the dependency of children’s BMI on societal circumstances. Over the course of two lockdowns in Germany, children have experienced BMI increments, particularly in low socioeconomic areas. Authorities are called into action to counteract increasing rates of childhood weight by promoting physical activity of children and establishing related post-pandemic offers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:59:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec7daa37cb124528934b0b813b4374d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2198-9761 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:59:57Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports Medicine - Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec7daa37cb124528934b0b813b4374d02024-03-05T19:14:55ZengSpringerOpenSports Medicine - Open2198-97612024-03-0110111310.1186/s40798-024-00687-8Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic BackgroundsLudwig Piesch0Robert Stojan1Jochen Zinner2Dirk Büsch3Katharina Utesch4Till Utesch5Institute of Educational Sciences, University of MünsterInstitute of Educational Sciences, University of MünsterDeutsche Hochschule für Gesundheit und SportUniversität OldenburgInstitute of Psychology, University of MünsterInstitute of Educational Sciences, University of MünsterAbstract Background Childhood obesity is associated with various health outcomes. Restrictive measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, like lockdowns and school closures, affected children’s daily structure, physical activity, dietary habits, and sleep quality, possibly exacerbating risk factors for childhood obesity and higher body mass index (BMI) in children. Poor socioeconomic conditions may have led to relatively higher risk for elevated BMI levels following pandemic measures. In this study, the impact of measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the BMI of third graders was investigated regarding children’s socioeconomic background (SEB). Methods Data from 41,728 children (8.84 ± 0.56 years, 20,431 female) were collected in the context of a cohort study. Children were tested either before the pandemic (preCOVID: Sept2017–March2020, n = 26,314), or following the first (postLDI: Aug2020–Dec2020, n = 6657) or second lockdown in Germany (postLDII: Aug2021–Jan2022, n = 8757). SEB was based on the official school type classification of the state of Berlin. Outcome was BMI standard deviation scores (SDS). Results Significant effects of Time and SEB revealed elevated BMIs in postLDI (M = 0.23, p = 0.011) and postLDII (M = 0.22, p = 0.011) compared to preCOVID (M = 0.17) cohorts and higher BMIs for children with lower SEB (b = − 0.13, p < 0.001). A significant Time × SEB interaction indicated that the effect of SEB on children’s BMI increased in response to lockdowns, especially in postLDII (b = − 0.05, p = 0.006). Results suggest that the COVID-19-related measures lead to increased BMI in children, and that children of lower SEB were at particular risk for higher BMIs following lockdowns. Conclusions These findings highlight the dependency of children’s BMI on societal circumstances. Over the course of two lockdowns in Germany, children have experienced BMI increments, particularly in low socioeconomic areas. Authorities are called into action to counteract increasing rates of childhood weight by promoting physical activity of children and establishing related post-pandemic offers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00687-8Childhood overweightChildhood obesityPhysical literacyBMI z-scoreBMI standard deviation score |
| spellingShingle | Ludwig Piesch Robert Stojan Jochen Zinner Dirk Büsch Katharina Utesch Till Utesch Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds Sports Medicine - Open Childhood overweight Childhood obesity Physical literacy BMI z-score BMI standard deviation score |
| title | Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds |
| title_full | Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds |
| title_fullStr | Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds |
| title_short | Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns on Body Mass Index of Primary School Children from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds |
| title_sort | effect of covid 19 pandemic lockdowns on body mass index of primary school children from different socioeconomic backgrounds |
| topic | Childhood overweight Childhood obesity Physical literacy BMI z-score BMI standard deviation score |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00687-8 |
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