A group of researchers from Aarhus University has investigated how children’s weight in 1st and 6th grade changed during and after the coronavirus lockdown. The results are now in.
The study is divided into weight classes, and for all the children, the trend shifted when the pandemic shut down the country and paused everyday life as we knew it. The number of children with normal and underweight decreased, while the number of children with overweight increased. These categories have since returned to the same levels as before the lockdown.
Det samme kan ikke siges om de børn, der går i 1. klasse og falder ind under svær overvægt.
The same cannot be said for the children in 1st grade who fall into the category of severe obesity.
During the pandemic, the proportion skyrocketed from 2.8 percent to 5.2 percent – nearly doubling. After the country reopened, the figure remains at 4 percent, and there is little indicating that the trend will return to pre-pandemic levels.
Four percent might not sound like a lot. But according to the initiator of the study, the figure is significant.
»It is quite remarkable and concerning,« says Jens Meldgaard Bruun, professor and chief physician at Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus and Aarhus University and head of the National Center for Obesity.
According to him, this could have consequences for public health if the trend is not reversed:
»We know that if a child has severe obesity, it is difficult to lose weight. For those who carry it into adolescence and adulthood, there is an increased risk of diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.«
Furthermore, the 4 percent deviation is stark compared to previous trends.
»The proportion might have gone from 2.6 to 2.8 percent over the last ten years. That’s a very small increase over a long period, but during COVID-19, there was a doubling. It’s quite alarming,« explains Meldgaard Bruun.
This study is the first of its kind conducted among Danish children, but last year, an international study from WHO showed a connection between the pandemic and severe obesity among children aged 7 to 9 years.
Among other things, more screen time and less physical activity are cited as some of the perhaps unsurprising causes.
More attention
Besides children in 1st grade, the study also looks at children in 6th grade. During the pandemic, the proportion of children with severe obesity rose from about 4 percent to 5.5 percent. Subsequently, the figure has fallen to 4.5 percent and, according to Jens Meldgaard Bruun, continues to decline.
He points out that older children may find it easier to return to old habits.
»Younger children are smaller and perhaps more susceptible to significant changes. They might have more difficulty returning to the habits and lifestyle they had before.«
The difference between the two age groups suggests that children should be treated differently based on their age, especially when facing extreme changes like a pandemic, according to the study team.
»A child is not just a child. There are younger children and older children, and they might need different things to achieve the same quality of life. If you make significant changes, perhaps more attention should be given to the youngest, while older children can be more self-regulating,« explains Jens Meldgaard Bruun.
He elaborates that it is essential to monitor children’s daily routines, including their physical activity and diet, both in school, with healthcare professionals, and in after-school programs.
But what should parents do if their child falls into the unhealthy weight category? According to Meldgaard Bruun, the answer lies in adopting new habits.
»If you have a young child, it can be a tough conversation and maybe not one you should have. But as a parent, you can decide to prioritize removing or reducing unhealthy food and encouraging more physical activity instead of relying on screens to keep the kids occupied.«
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