Increase Seen in Pediatric BMI During Pandemic, Study Finds

“A study that tracked body mass index (BMI) two years prior to the pandemic and one year after the start of the pandemic in a primarily Medicaid pediatric population in Norfolk, Virginia, found a significant increase in BMI during that time.

When these differences were analyzed by gender, the increase was only significant for the female cohort, according to the study, ‘Examining the Effects of COVID-19 Lifestyle on Pediatric BMI.’ There was an 11% mean increase in the BMI of girls, the study found.

The authors also observed there was a significant correlation between screen time and family time increases during the pandemic and rising pediatric BMIs, as families spent more time at home because of the lockdowns.”