Impact of COVID‑19 and related stressors on children’s weight and mental health outcomes
The COVID‑19 pandemic has disrupted the economic stability and daily routines of Canadian families. However, little is known about the long-term impact of these disruptions on children’s health outcomes. The goal of the proposed study is to examine how the COVID‑19 pandemic has impacted the weight and mental health outcomes of Canadian children. To achieve this goal, we will use data from 300 children aged 18 months to 5 years who are participants in the Guelph Family Health Study. The Guelph Family Health Study is a well characterized family-based intervention study that collected family-level data prior to and during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Thus, the Guelph Family Health Study is ideally suited to identify how stressors due to COVID‑19 restrictions are associated with children’s weight and mental health outcomes. By increasing our understanding of how the COVID‑19 pandemic has impacted the weight and mental health outcomes of children, this research will provide a much-needed basis for effective health interventions that support families with young children in managing stress and promoting healthy behaviours in the post-COVID-19 context.
