IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i15p9220-d874020.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Health Behavior Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis among Children

Author

Listed:
  • Traci A. Bekelman

    (Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Yanan Dong

    (Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Amy J. Elliott

    (Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA
    Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA)

  • Assiamira Ferrara

    (Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612, USA)

  • Kaylyn Friesen

    (Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Maren Galarce

    (Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612, USA)

  • Diane Gilbert-Diamond

    (Department of Epidemiology, Medicine and Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA)

  • Deborah H. Glueck

    (Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
    Department of Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Monique M. Hedderson

    (Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612, USA)

  • Christine W. Hockett

    (Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA
    Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA)

  • Margaret R. Karagas

    (Department of Epidemiology, Medicine and Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA)

  • Emily A. Knapp

    (Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Maristella Lucchini

    (Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA)

  • Julia C. McDonald

    (Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612, USA)

  • Katherine A. Sauder

    (Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
    Department of Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Dana Dabelea

    (Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
    See Acknowledgments for full listing of collaborators.)

Abstract

This longitudinal study compared children’s health behaviors before the COVID-19 pandemic versus during the pandemic. This analysis examined the association between individual-level characteristics and health behavior change. Four prospective cohort studies in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program contributed data. Children aged 4–12 years and their caregivers were recruited in California, Colorado, North Dakota, and New Hampshire. Dietary intake, physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration were assessed with questionnaires pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. The final sample included 347 children: 47% female and 62% non-Hispanic White. Compared with pre-pandemic, weekday screen time duration was higher during the pandemic (3.0 vs. 4.5 h, p < 0.001). Unadjusted increases in screen time duration differed by race and ethnicity: 1.3 h/day for non-Hispanic White children, 2.3 h/day for Hispanic children, and 5.3 h/day for non-Hispanic Black children. Overall, no changes occurred in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake ( p = 0.26), discretionary food intake ( p = 0.93), and physical activity ( p = 0.15). Sleep duration increased by 30 min among children who did not meet sleep recommendations pre-pandemic. Child sex and maternal education level were not associated with health behavior change. The pandemic may have exacerbated disparities in some health behaviors. Families may need support to re-establish healthy routines.

Suggested Citation

  • Traci A. Bekelman & Yanan Dong & Amy J. Elliott & Assiamira Ferrara & Kaylyn Friesen & Maren Galarce & Diane Gilbert-Diamond & Deborah H. Glueck & Monique M. Hedderson & Christine W. Hockett & Margare, 2022. "Health Behavior Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis among Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9220-:d:874020
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/15/9220/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/15/9220/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. O'Neil, A. & Quirk, S.E. & Housden, S. & Brennan, S.L. & Williams, L.J. & Pasco, J.A. & Berk, M. & Jacka, F.N., 2014. "Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(10), pages 31-42.
    2. JungHo Park, 2021. "Who is hardest hit by a pandemic? Racial disparities in COVID-19 hardship in the U.S," International Journal of Urban Sciences, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 149-177, April.
    3. Alice Freiberg & Melanie Schubert & Karla Romero Starke & Janice Hegewald & Andreas Seidler, 2021. "A Rapid Review on the Influence of COVID-19 Lockdown and Quarantine Measures on Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the General Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-46, August.
    4. Christine Borger & Courtney Paolicelli & Lorrene Ritchie & Shannon E. Whaley & Jill DeMatteis & Brenda Sun & Thea Palmer Zimmerman & Amanda Reat & Sujata Dixit-Joshi, 2021. "Shifts in Sources of Food but Stable Nutritional Outcomes among Children in the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Harbatkin, Erica & Strunk, Katharine O. & McIlwain, Aliyah, 2023. "School turnaround in a pandemic: An examination of the outsized implications of COVID-19 on low-performing turnaround schools, districts, and their communities," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Javier Sevil-Serrano & Alberto Aibar-Solana & Ángel Abós & José Antonio Julián & Luis García-González, 2019. "Healthy or Unhealthy? The Cocktail of Health-Related Behavior Profiles in Spanish Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Friederike Elsner & Lea Ellen Matthiessen & Dominika Średnicka-Tober & Wolfgang Marx & Adrienne O’Neil & Ailsa A. Welch & Richard Peter Hayhoe & Suzanne Higgs & Marja van Vliet & Ephimia Morphew-Lu & , 2022. "Identifying Future Study Designs for Mental Health and Social Wellbeing Associated with Diets of a Cohort Living in Eco-Regions: Findings from the INSUM Expert Workshop," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Rachael Sinclair & Lynne Millar & Steven Allender & Wendy Snowdon & Gade Waqa & Felice Jacka & Marj Moodie & Solveig Petersen & Boyd Swinburn, 2016. "The Cross-Sectional Association between Diet Quality and Depressive Symptomology amongst Fijian Adolescents," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-12, August.
    5. Svein Barene & Andreas Ruud-Tronsmoen & Patrick Foss Johansen, 2022. "Associations between Demographic Characteristics, Lifestyle Factors and School-Related Conditions and Symptoms of Mental Health Problems in Norwegian Upper Secondary School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, August.
    6. Chloe C. Dedryver & Cécile Knai, 2021. "‘It’s Easily the Lowest I’ve Ever, Ever Got to’: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults’ Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Lockdowns in the UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.
    7. Rosario Pastor & Noemi Pinilla & Josep A. Tur, 2021. "The Economic Cost of Diet and Its Association with Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in a Cohort of Spanish Primary Schoolchildren," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-10, January.
    8. Ruben Sanchez-Sabate & Esteban Zunino & Yasna Badilla-Briones & Natalia Celedon Celis & Daniel Caro Saldías, 2021. "Chilean Digital Press Coverage of the Relation between Diet and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, February.
    9. Aditya Aladangady & Andrew C. Chang & Jacob Krimmel, 2025. "Greater wealth, greater uncertainty: Changes in racial inequality in the Survey of Consumer Finances," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 23(1), pages 91-118, March.
    10. Chen, Qihui, 2021. "Population policy, family size and child malnutrition in Vietnam – Testing the trade-off between child quantity and quality from a child nutrition perspective," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    11. Heng Yaw Yong & Zalilah Mohd Shariff & Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof & Zulida Rejali & Yvonne Yee Siang Tee & Jacques Bindels & Eline M. van der Beek, 2019. "Pre-Pregnancy BMI Influences the Association of Dietary Quality and Gestational Weight Gain: The SECOST Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-12, October.
    12. Cheuk-yeung Ho & Albert Lee, 2022. "Cultivating a Healthy Living Environment for Adolescents in the Post-COVID Era in Hong Kong: Exploring Youth Health Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-14, June.
    13. Joyce Slater & Bhanu Pilli & Aynslie Hinds & Alan Katz & Marcelo L. Urquia & Julianne Sanguins & Chris Green & Jaime Cidro & Dan Chateau & Nathan Nickel, 2023. "Food Behaviours and Health Indicators in Manitoba Adolescents and Relation to the Healthy Eating Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.
    14. Albert Lee & Vera M. W. Keung & Vincent T. C. Lau & Calvin K. M. Cheung & Amelia S. C. Lo, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Life of Students: Case Study in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-16, October.
    15. Elizabeth C. Gearan & Kelley Monzella & Leah Jennings & Mary Kay Fox, "undated". "Differences in Diet Quality between School Lunch Participants and Nonparticipants in the United States by Income and Race," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 804e2d61138241eba62359e6f, Mathematica Policy Research.
    16. Emilie Bérard & Samantha Huo Yung Kai & Nicola Coley & Vanina Bongard & Jean Ferrières, 2022. "One-Year Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown-Related Factors on Cardiovascular Risk and Mental Health: A Population-Based Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-14, February.
    17. Regina Winzer & Kimmo Sorjonen & Lene Lindberg, 2018. "What Predicts Stable Mental Health in the 18–29 Age Group Compared to Older Age Groups? Results from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort 2002–2014," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Xavier Bartoll-Roca & Gemma Serral Cano & Mònica Cortés Albaladejo & Katherine Pérez, 2024. "Household Economic Hardship and Child Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Parents’ Mental Distress in a Southern European City," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 89-107, October.
    19. Katelyn Battista & Karen A. Patte & Liqun Diao & Joel A. Dubin & Scott T. Leatherdale, 2022. "Using Decision Trees to Examine Environmental and Behavioural Factors Associated with Youth Anxiety, Depression, and Flourishing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-16, August.
    20. Zheng, Yi & Ren, He, 2024. "COVID-19 vaccination and housing payments," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9220-:d:874020. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.