Children's Anxiety and Physical Activity during COVID-19 in Relation to Prenatal Exposure to Gestational Diabetes

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Investigating the impact of prenatal exposure to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) on child psychological outcomes.
• Examining the role of physical activity and anxiety levels in children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approach:

• Assessed anxiety and physical activity in children aged 9-15 using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children and 24-hour physical activity recall.
• Utilized electronic medical records to determine in utero GDM exposure.
• Conducted phone and video calls for data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Points:

• Higher moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity correlated with lower anxiety symptoms.
• Children with in utero GDM exposure reported increased anxiety and decreased vigorous physical activity.
• Reduced vigorous physical activity partially mediated the relationship between GDM exposure and higher anxiety (75%, p=0.05).

Conclusions:

• Physical activity may serve as a protective factor against anxiety in children.
• Children exposed to GDM in utero may benefit particularly from physical activity interventions to mitigate psychological risks.
• Findings highlight the importance of promoting physical activity for children's mental well-being, especially in vulnerable populations during public health crises.