Section on Growth and Obesity, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10 Center Drive, Room 1-3330, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Sep 21;20(18):6796. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20186796.
Rates of childhood overweight/obesity have risen for decades; however, data show the prevalence increased at a faster rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic-associated increases in youth's body mass index (BMI; kg/m) have been attributed to decreases in reported physical activity; few studies have examined changes in food intake. We therefore examined changes in total energy, nutrient consumption, BMI, BMIz, and adiposity longitudinally over 3 years, comparing healthy youth aged 8-17 years assessed twice prior to the pandemic, to youth seen once before and once during the pandemic. The total energy intake and percent macronutrient consumption were assessed using a standardized, laboratory-based, buffet-style meal. Height and weight were measured and adiposity was collected via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Generalized linear model univariate analyses investigated differences between groups. One-hundred-fifteen youth (15.6 + 2.8 years 47.8% female; 54.8% White) from the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia greater metropolitan area participated. In this secondary analysis, neither changes in total energy intake ( = 0.52) nor changes in nutrient consumption were significantly different between the two groups ( = 0.23-0.83). Likewise, changes in BMI, BMIz, and adiposity ( = 0.95-0.25) did not differ by group. Further research should investigate food intake and body composition, comparing youth with and without overweight/obesity to better identify those at greatest risk of excess weight gain during the pandemic.
儿童超重/肥胖率几十年来一直在上升；然而，数据显示，在 COVID-19 大流行期间，这一患病率的增长速度更快。青少年的体重指数（BMI；kg/m）与报告的体力活动减少有关，与青少年的食物摄入量增加有关的研究很少。因此，我们在三年时间里纵向研究了总能量、营养素消耗、BMI、BMIz 和肥胖的变化，将在大流行之前两次评估的 8-17 岁健康青少年与在大流行之前和期间各评估一次的青少年进行了比较。使用标准化的、基于实验室的自助餐式膳食来评估总能量摄入和宏量营养素消耗百分比。通过双能 X 射线吸收法测量身高和体重，并收集肥胖数据。使用广义线性模型单变量分析研究了组间的差异。来自华盛顿特区、马里兰州和弗吉尼亚州大都市区的 115 名青少年（15.6 + 2.8 岁，47.8%为女性；54.8%为白人）参与了这项研究。在这项二次分析中，两组之间的总能量摄入变化（ = 0.52）和营养素消耗变化（ = 0.23-0.83）均无显著差异。同样，BMI、BMIz 和肥胖的变化（ = 0.95-0.25）也没有因组而异。进一步的研究应该调查食物摄入和身体成分，比较超重/肥胖的青少年和没有超重/肥胖的青少年，以更好地确定在大流行期间体重过度增加风险最大的人群。
