Niloufar Khatibzade Nasari
Ilamic Azad University, IranPresentation Title:
Long-term effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on weight status, eating habits, and lifestyle changes related to school-aged children in Bandar Abbas, Iran
Abstract
Background: Despite the end of the COVID-19 lockdown and reopening of schools, the long-term effects of quarantine on the weight status, eating habits, and lifestyle of children and adolescents remain unknown. This study aimed to determine the long-term effects of the lockdown on the weight status, eating habits, and lifestyle changes of children and adolescents in Iran.
Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2022. The target population comprised one hundred students aged between 10 and 16 years old. Our study obtained students’ weight and height data from records maintained by school principals or physical education instructors before and after the quarantine period. The BMI z-score (zBMI) was calculated for each time point. The researchers also provided a questionnaire to collect the students’ demographic and lifestyle status changes during school closures.
Results: We found that the zBMI increased significantly from −0.02±1.64 to 0.36±1.12, and the number of individuals with overweight and obesity increased by 3% during quarantine (P≤0.05). These changes were more pronounced in males and students aged 14–16 years old. We also found that eating habits, sleeping time, sleeping patterns, screen time (time spent on social media per day), and physical activity had significant negative changes during quarantine, and a significant increase in zBMI was observed among students who experienced negative eating behaviors, altered sleeping patterns, and decreased physical activity during school closures.
Conclusion: As prolonged school closures due to the COVID-19 lockdown aggravated students’ health and lifestyle status, our findings can aid in proper planning to establish an appropriate framework for the diet, physical activity, and sleeping quality of students during extended school closures.
Biography
Dr. Niloufar Khatibzade Nasari is a Family Medicine General Practitioner based in Iran, having earned an M.D. from Qeshm University of Medical Science. With a strong commitment to providing comprehensive primary care, She has been actively managing patient health and well-being in clinical settings. In addition to clinical practice, She has contributed to the medical field as a researcher, focusing on internal medicine and pediatrics, resulting in published studies related to these fields. Additionally, during her time at university, she served as the leader of the Young Researchers Club, fostering collaboration and innovation among peers. She was recognized for her effective communication skills and passion for advancing medical knowledge through research. She is presently working on cross-sectional studies in the area of internal medicine.
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