Children and COVID-19 Research Library

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between adolescents' nutritional attitudes, obesity awareness, and diet quality with their self-reported anthropometric measurements taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional type of study was conducted in a district in the south of Turkey. The research was carried out online with 907 adolescents who agreed to participate voluntarily.

Negative emotions, such as the feeling of loneliness, are significantly associated with emotional eating. As a coping mechanism to regulate and reduce negative emotions, adolescents and young adults are found to lose control and binge. The global pandemic and enforced lockdowns have imposed psychological changes, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress. COVID-19 has led to psychiatric morbidity and dietary changes in youth. This study was designed to see if the feeling of loneliness and emotional eating is associated with contraction COVID-19. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using internationally validated questionnaires such as the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), UCLA loneliness scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). An online survey comprised of these questionnaires and the history of diagnosed COVID-positive contractions was administered among undergraduate and graduate students in Karachi, Pakistan.

A Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) is an evidence-based school health program focusing on increasing healthy eating and physical activity and reducing screen time. This project aimed to determine if CATCH program will have significant effects on self-rated knowledge, habits of physical activity, healthy eating (fruit and vegetable consumption), and screen time among 3rd and 5th-grade students at a rural elementary school during the 2020–2021 school year. To evaluate this 4-month project, a pre- and post-intervention School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) survey was distributed to 51 3rd and 5th-grade students. The program included six 30-minute education sessions specific to grade level and healthy snacks including fruits and vegetables. A family fun event (virtual 2K walk/run due to COVID-19) was organized. Prizes (i.e., water bottles, jump ropes) were given to students for participating in the family fun event and at Track and Field day to encourage healthy behavior.

This study examines whether preschool children who maintained regular mealtimes after the spread of COVID-19 infection have better lifestyle habits, like waking up and sleeping early and a more balanced diet, than those who did not. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,000 individuals who provided meals to preschool children aged 2 to 6 years. The Healthy Diet Score (HDS), on a 40-point scale, was developed to comprehensively assess the dietary balance of preschool children based on their frequency of food intake from 13 food groups. The analysis included data on 1,850 children, excluding those who failed to answer the main questions. The participants were classified into four groups based on their responses regarding the regularity of mealtimes after the spread of COVID-19: ‘regular mealtimes (n = 125),’ ‘originally regular and remains unchanged (n = 1514),’ ‘irregular mealtimes (n = 63),’ and ’originally irregular and remains unchanged (n = 148).’ Multiple regression analysis was conducted with HDS as the dependent variable, and regularity of mealtimes and confounding factors as independent variables.

Online grocery services hold potential to reduce physical barriers to equitable healthy food procurement, particularly among low-income families who often live far from groceries stores. During COVID-19, the USDA authorized the use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits online in some retailers across the US. We aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality of online grocery purchases among SNAP-eligible families. Itemized receipt data was analyzed from a larger mixed methods study of online grocery shopping behaviors of SNAP-eligible families in Maryland. Of the 310 participants who completed the survey, 39 submitted grocery receipts. Of those, 19 participants submitted receipts with complete data for nutritional analysis on total amount spent, number of items purchased and units, weight (oz), and % of expenditure on fruits, vegetables, and sugar sweetened beverages (SSB). Nutritional analysis compared purchases of propensity score matched samples of SNAP (n = 14) versus SNAP-eligible non-participant families (n = 5) using a zero-inflated Poisson regression, controlling for sociodemographic factors.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health services worldwide. Alive and Thrive (A&T) is testing MIYCN integration into non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) health services in eight facilities in Dhaka. We aimed to develop a data-driven urban MIYCN intervention pathway adapted to continue delivering nutrition services during COVID-19. A&T used its learnings from previous interventions and formative research to design an urban MIYCN intervention with a social and behavior change strategy set to improve nutrition practices. Mixed monitoring data were used to track the intervention elements capacity building, demand creation, service delivery, and supervision; and COVID-19 situation domains lockdown, restrictions, guidelines, staff turnover, contextual and behavior changes, adaptations, and budget implications. COVID-19 studies as well as external value chain, market, and food security reports were used. Monthly monitoring data were used to identify and validate potential adaptations.

To explore the perceived barriers and needs of different types of community stakeholders regarding services and resources to improve food security for families with children under 3 years before and during COVID-19. Community stakeholders (n = 32) working with low-income families with children ages 0–3 years in Florida participated in a 60-minute interview via Zoom. Participants included those working in healthcare (n = 7), community/policy development (n = 6), emergency food assistance (n = 6), early childhood development (n = 7), and nutrition education (n = 6). Trained researchers conducted interviews using a semi-structured script based on the PRECEDE component of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Crosstab qualitative analysis was used to compare data across different types of stakeholders.

To evaluate the changes in Household Food Insecurity (HFI) and diet in children pre and post COVID-19 pandemic in a group of children living in an urban area in Querétaro, Mexico. A total of 67 children (mean age = 11 years, range = 9–13 years) participated in this longitudinal study. HFI and diet were measured in-person, before the COVID-19 pandemic (December 2019) and by phone, after the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2021). HFI was assessed using the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) while diet was assessed using a previously validated food frequency questionnaire. Differences in HFI and diet were tested using McNemar's and T-student tests, respectively.