Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on weight in a cohort of allergic children and adolescents

The influence of COVID-19 pandemic on body mass and cardiopulmonary endurance of Chinese adolescents: a longitudinal follow-up study

Background

With the spread and spread of COVID-19 around the world, youth's learning, lifestyle and health have been greatly affected. Based on the current research, there is no adequate analysis of the development of young people's physique and heart and lung health during COVID-19, and there is a lack of relevant targeted research. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of BMI and Maximum Oxygen Absorption (VO2max) in 12-14 year old teenagers before and after COVID-19.

Method

The BMI, 1,000/800 m running time and associated data related to 29,813 individuals between 2019 and 2022 were collected by cluster sampling, and the changes of BMI Z and VO2max before and after the outbreak were analyzed. Moreover, the relationship between BMI and cardiovascular endurance was analyzed by means of multi-linear stepwise regression.

Results

The covariance analysis models indicated that compared with 2019, adolescent weight, BMI, and 1,000/800 m running time showed varying degrees of growth in 2020, while lung capacity decreased. All indicators achieved rapid rebound in 2021 and 2022 (p < 0.01); the one-way analysis of variance models indicated that The BMI Z score and VO2max of adolescents showed growth and decline in 2020, respectively, and achieved rapid recovery and development in 2021 and 2022 (p < 0.01). The results of the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis indicate that, after the years of BMI Z and novel coronavirus infection were included (△R2  = 0.179), adolescents' overweight and obesity were positively correlated with the maximum oxygen uptake (B = 0.643, 95%CI = 0.634 ~ 0.652); There is a negative correlation between weight loss and maximum oxygen uptake (B = -0.510, 95%CI = -0.537~-0.484); The year of novel coronavirus infection was positively correlated with the maximum oxygen uptake of adolescents (B = 0.116, 95%CI = 0.107~0.125).

Conclusion

This study shows that the impact of COVID-19 on BMI and heart and lung health in adolescents is significant. Young people of all ages and sexes showed similar developmental trends.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Body Mass Index: a three-year follow up study in 6,156 Chinese college students

Background

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 as the most pervasive and consequential pandemic in recent years, has exerted significant impacts on human health, including aspects related to body weight. Objectives: This study aims to assess the influence of the lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese college students' Body Mass Index (BMI) through a three-year cohort study.

Methods

We recruited 6156 college students (n = 4,248, 69% male, and n = 1,908, 31% female, with an average age of 18.68 ± 0.86 yr.) from a University in China to participate in this three-year cohort study. All of the subjects took the same physical fitness tests from 2019 to 2021 (pre-lockdown, during lockdown and post-lockdown). Participants' height and weight data were objectively measured by Tongfang Health Fitness Testing Products 5000 series. A paired t-test was performed in the analysis.

Results

During the lockdown, there is 4.2% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). Moreover, males had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 4.74% (p<0.001) than females (2.86%, p<0.001). After the lockdown, there is 0.94% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). However, females had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 1.49% (p<0.001) than males (0.72%, p<0.001). During this period, the obese and overweight group's growth rate from 2019 to 2020 was smaller than the normal and underweight group, which were 2.94% (p<0.001), 3.90% (p<0.001), 4.44% (p<0.001) and 5.25% (p<0.001), respectively.

Conclusion

BMI increased both during and post-lockdown periods among Chinese college students. However, during the lockdown, participants with higher BMI groups appeared to have a diminished BMI growth rate compared to those with lower BMI. After the lockdown, participants with higher BMI levels appeared to have an augmented BMI growth rate. Public policy action is needed to increase the level of physical activity of Chinese college students and take action to improve students' physical fitness performance after the lockdown.

Impact of lockdown on the growth of children in China aged 3-6 years during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Lockdowns in COVID-19 pandemic led to less physical activity and more intake of unhealthy food in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the negative impact of major lockdowns on the growth of children aged 3-6 years during COVID-19 pandemic period.

Methods

Physical examination results in 2019 to 2022 from 5834 eligible children (2972 males and 2862 females) from Southwestern China who were 3 years old in 2019 were retrospectively collected. Height and weight data points were extracted from the results, and percentiles of height (height%), weight (weight%), and BMI (BMI%), and rates of overweight and obesity were calculated and compared between different years during the pandemic.

Results

After analyzing the 15404 growth data points from 5834 children, a slowly increasing trend of height% from 2019 to 2022 was observed. Weight%, BMI%, overweight rate, obesity rate, and combined overweight and obesity rate had two peaks in 2020 and 2022 when major lockdowns were adopted and a drop in between (year 2021), except for obesity rate which did not drop in 2021. Similar results were shown after stratification by gender.

Conclusion

The lockdowns in COVID-19 pandemic promoted obesity of kindergarten children, but did not show any negative impact on their height growth possibly due to over-nutrition of children during lockdowns. More efforts need to be made to limit the increase of obesity rate in kindergarten children during possible future lockdowns.

Preventative practices and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers of children with pediatric pulmonary hypertension

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious and life-threatening disease characterized by elevated mean arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. COVID-19 may exacerbate PH, as evidenced by higher mortality rates among those with PH. The objective of this study was to understand the unique burdens that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed upon families of children living with PH.

METHODS

Participants were recruited online through the "Families of children with pulmonary hypertension" Facebook group and asked to complete a survey about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

A total of 139 parents/caregivers of children living with PH completed the online survey. Almost all (85.6%) of parents/caregivers had received the COVID-19 vaccine, though only 59.7% reported a willingness to vaccinate their child with PH against COVID-19. Over 75% of parents/caregivers felt that they practiced preventative measures (e.g., wearing a facemask, social distancing, and avoiding gatherings) more than those in the community where they live. They also reported several hardships related to caring for their child with PH during the pandemic such as financial duress, loss of work, and affording treatment costs.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that parents/caregivers of children at higher risk for COVID-19 complications may be more willing to act on clinical recommendations themselves as proxy for protecting those at high risk. The economic, emotional and social impacts of COVID-19 are significantly greater for high-risk individuals.

COVID-19, Anosmia, and Allergies: Is There a Relationship? A Pediatric Perspective

Background: Between June and July 2020, we evaluated children and adolescents concerning post-infection surveillance after a COVID-19 positivity during the lockdown. We aimed to assess whether the anamnestic presence of allergies could correlate with the presence of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms, and in particular with anosmia. Material and methods: For each patient, we collected anamnestic data, the presence of allergies documented by performing skin prick tests, and COVID-19 symptoms. Then, if over six years of age, each patient underwent an active anterior rhinomanometry. Results: A total of 296 patients were enrolled, of whom 105 (35.4%) reported allergies. Considering COVID-19 symptoms, 74 subjects (25%) presented an asymptomatic form, 222 (75%) reported symptoms, and anosmia recurred in 60 subjects (27.03%). A statistically significant relationship was found between allergies and symptomatic COVID-19 (p = 0.042), allergies, and anosmia (p = 0.05), and allergies and anosmia in males (p = 0.007). Moreover, anosmic patients presented a higher body mass index, older age, and a longer COVID-19 duration with statistical significance (p = 0.001, 0.001, 0.006, respectively). Conclusions: Allergic subjects seem to develop symptomatic COVID-19 more frequently and allergies appear to be a protective factor from anosmia’s onset in males.