The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study
Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic altered adults’ and children’s lifestyles and habits, causing an increase in body weight. Adolescents are sensitive to habit changes and, because of their insufficient capacity to deal with the unexpected COVID-19 changes, were at greater risk of noncommunicable disea...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/3788 |
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| author | Gordana Kenđel Jovanović Nataša Dragaš Zubalj Sanja Klobučar Majanović Dario Rahelić Valentina Rahelić Jelena Vučak Lončar Sandra Pavičić Žeželj |
| author_facet | Gordana Kenđel Jovanović Nataša Dragaš Zubalj Sanja Klobučar Majanović Dario Rahelić Valentina Rahelić Jelena Vučak Lončar Sandra Pavičić Žeželj |
| author_sort | Gordana Kenđel Jovanović |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic altered adults’ and children’s lifestyles and habits, causing an increase in body weight. Adolescents are sensitive to habit changes and, because of their insufficient capacity to deal with the unexpected COVID-19 changes, were at greater risk of noncommunicable disease development due to the consequences of adopting unhealthy habits. The survey aimed to reveal the changes in nutritional status and lifestyle habits of school children in Croatia and to assess their nutrition knowledge and emotional state and feelings about COVID-19 lockdown. Self-reported data from 1370 school children aged 10 to 15 years were obtained to examine the influence of the lockdown on their nutritional status, lifestyle and emotional status, and to assess their nutrition knowledge. The study revealed that the COVID-19 lockdown has caused an increase in the proportion of overweight and obesity among Croatian school children who changed their lifestyle habits towards being less physically active, spending more time using screen-based media and revealing potential psychological distress. However, the schoolchildren had a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents KIDMED index and had good nutrition knowledge. Public health programs promoting a healthy lifestyle and involving the whole family, in a school environment, could provide children with a healthy adulthood. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:12:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7b0a78abdda41c790261775e598a992 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:12:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7b0a78abdda41c790261775e598a9922023-11-23T00:45:57ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-10-011311378810.3390/nu13113788The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional StudyGordana Kenđel Jovanović0Nataša Dragaš Zubalj1Sanja Klobučar Majanović2Dario Rahelić3Valentina Rahelić4Jelena Vučak Lončar5Sandra Pavičić Žeželj6Department of Health Ecology, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko-Goranska County, 51000 Rijeka, CroatiaDepartment of School and University Medicine, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko-Goranska County, 51000 Rijeka, CroatiaDepartment of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, CroatiaVuk Vrhovac University Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Merkur University Hospital, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Health Studies, University of Zadar, 23000 Zadar, CroatiaDepartment of Health Ecology, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko-Goranska County, 51000 Rijeka, CroatiaGlobally, the COVID-19 pandemic altered adults’ and children’s lifestyles and habits, causing an increase in body weight. Adolescents are sensitive to habit changes and, because of their insufficient capacity to deal with the unexpected COVID-19 changes, were at greater risk of noncommunicable disease development due to the consequences of adopting unhealthy habits. The survey aimed to reveal the changes in nutritional status and lifestyle habits of school children in Croatia and to assess their nutrition knowledge and emotional state and feelings about COVID-19 lockdown. Self-reported data from 1370 school children aged 10 to 15 years were obtained to examine the influence of the lockdown on their nutritional status, lifestyle and emotional status, and to assess their nutrition knowledge. The study revealed that the COVID-19 lockdown has caused an increase in the proportion of overweight and obesity among Croatian school children who changed their lifestyle habits towards being less physically active, spending more time using screen-based media and revealing potential psychological distress. However, the schoolchildren had a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents KIDMED index and had good nutrition knowledge. Public health programs promoting a healthy lifestyle and involving the whole family, in a school environment, could provide children with a healthy adulthood.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/3788childrenCOVID-19 pandemicdietary habitslifestyleobesityphysical activity |
| spellingShingle | Gordana Kenđel Jovanović Nataša Dragaš Zubalj Sanja Klobučar Majanović Dario Rahelić Valentina Rahelić Jelena Vučak Lončar Sandra Pavičić Žeželj The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study Nutrients children COVID-19 pandemic dietary habits lifestyle obesity physical activity |
| title | The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | The Outcome of COVID-19 Lockdown on Changes in Body Mass Index and Lifestyle among Croatian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | outcome of covid 19 lockdown on changes in body mass index and lifestyle among croatian schoolchildren a cross sectional study |
| topic | children COVID-19 pandemic dietary habits lifestyle obesity physical activity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/3788 |
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