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Body Mass Index Changes from Before to 3 Years After the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study in a

Iee Ho Choi1, Esther Park1,2,3, Eun-Jee Lee4

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Jeonbuk National University Children's Hospital, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 lockdown impacted children's body mass index (BMI) inconsistently. While some grades saw a decrease, others experienced significant BMI increases, highlighting the need for tailored obesity management strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns significantly disrupted children's daily routines and health.
  • Concerns arose regarding potential adverse effects on children's weight and body mass index (BMI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate changes in children's BMI from pre- to post-COVID-19 lockdown.
  • To analyze BMI recovery and identify variations by grade level and sex.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of height, weight, and BMI data from elementary school students (2019-2023, excluding 2020).
  • Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses were conducted to assess BMI changes.
  • Data stratified by grade level and pre-lockdown BMI status.

Main Results:

  • Overall student BMI Z-score significantly increased in 2021 compared to 2019 (p=0.009).
  • First graders in 2019 showed a significant BMI Z-score decrease post-lockdown (p=0.003).
  • Other grades, particularly third graders in 2019, exhibited significant BMI Z-score increases (p=0.027).

Conclusions:

  • COVID-19 lockdown-related BMI changes in children were inconsistent across different age groups.
  • Post-lockdown obesity status varied based on age and pre-existing obesity levels.
  • Tailored, age-specific strategies are crucial for managing and preventing obesity-related metabolic diseases in the post-COVID-19 era.

Keywords:
COVID-19body mass indexlockdownprimary school childrenweight changes

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