COVID-19 takes a toll on HK pupils’ body weight and happiness

The proportion of overweight and obese children in Hong Kong has more than doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the child happiness index has dropped by 21 percent, according to an online survey by the Hong Kong Paediatric Foundation (HKPF) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

“With nearly 450 days of school closure and suspension of face-to-face classes, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted children’s day-to-day life,” noted the researchers.

The survey, which included 1,439 parents of kindergarten or primary school students, investigated the impact of the pandemic (2020 to [month?] 2022) on children’s dietary habits and daily life.

Compared with the pre–COVID-19 period (ie, 2019 or before), the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren had increased by 1.8 times (from 4.8 percent to 13.5 percent) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, nearly one in four (24 percent) children aged 9–13 years were overweight or obese during the pandemic.

Parents reported that children consumed more snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages (55 percent and 43 percent, respectively) during the pandemic. This could be attributed to changes in dietary habits, including spending time on television or electronic devices when eating (70 percent), eating more when feeling bored (62 percent), and eating more snacks that affected children’s appetite for regular meals.

The parents also reported changes in their children’s lifestyles that contributed to the overweight problem, such as spending more time on electronic devices (90 percent), spending less time on outdoor sports (80 percent), and sleeping more (40 percent). Notably, the older the child, the higher the rate of developing poor lifestyles and unhealthy dietary habits.

“Children did not have normal school and social lives during the pandemic. As they could not go out for sports and play, they inevitably felt bored and spent their time playing video games, [sleeping] and eating snacks,” explained Dr Lilian Wong of HKPF.

Results also showed a negative impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health, with the child happiness index showing a 21 percent decrease. “There are so many reasons why children were unhappy, including not being able to see friends, inability to go out and play, and seeing their parents and being nagged all the time,” said Professor Albert Li of the Department of Paediatrics, CUHK.

Additionally, 20 percent of parents had very high stress levels (as high as 9–10, on a score of 0–10) during the pandemic. As parents’ and children’s emotions interacted closely, the child happiness index decreased even more (35 percent) when parents had high stress levels.

“Helping children to regain a healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance at the moment,” said Li. As such, the researchers suggested some practical tips for child health management, including: 1) replacing snacks with fruits and yoghurt; 2) limiting the use of electric devices to 1 hour per day (excluding learning); 3) developing a regular sleep schedule and avoiding excessive stimulation or screen blue light before bed; 4) ≥60 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise per day. Parents are advised to relieve stress by exercising and seeking support from family, friends, or professionals if needed.