PS-4-23
Children’s Body Composition and Parental Healthy Eating Literacy
during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Satomi Inokawa１,２, Mihoshi Yokoo１, Hiroko Miyaki１, Momo Hosokawa１
1: General Incorporated Association Luvtelli, 2: Ehime University
Objectives

Materials & Methods

For young children, parents are the ones who have agreat impact on their lifestyle. This study aimed toinvestigate the relationship between changes inchildren’s body composition and parental Healthy
Eating Literacy (HEL) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From December 2021 to January 2022, consenting
parents with children aged ≤15 years were asked tocomplete an anonymous online questionnaire after
being recruited using social networking services.
Besides parental HEL-related questions, thequestionnaire also included questions about changes
in children’s body composition and dietary habits inthree different time periods; before the pandemic(until February 2020), during the pandemic (fromMarch to December 2020), and at present time (whenthe virus infection has settled down). Data from 785
parents were analyzed using SPSS software.

COVID-19
pandemic

BeforeAfter(Present)

Body composition
Parental factors
Child factors・Healthy eating literacy
・Eating habits
・Household income
・Sedentary lifestyles
・Mealtime・Screen viewing
・Working hours etc.
・Sleep duration etc.

Results
Children’s body compositionand parental HEL
HEL＜3.680%

Parents
1.1%

1.1% 3.9%

0.3%

26.2%

98.6%

68.7%

MotherFatherOthers

20-29 years
30-39 years
40-49 years
50-59 years

Children

46.4% 53.6%

HEL*54321060%
mean±SD = 3.5±0.7
median = 3.6

0-2years(preschool)
3-5years(preschool)

20%(*Takaizumi, 2012)“gained weight ”

1.4%“unchanged weight ”60%

weight-loss groupcontrol groupweight-gain group40%

6-9years(1st-3th grade)20%

10-12years(4th-6th grade)0%12-15years(7th-9th grade)(Chi-square test, p <0.001)

Keywords0%“lost weight”

91.6%

48.9%

GirlBoy

40%“How do you think has yourchild’s body compositionchanged compared to before
the COVID-19 pandemic?”

7.0%

5.5%
9.9% 20.8%
14.9%

HEL≧3.6

weight-lossgroupcontrolgroupweight-gaingroup(Chi-square test, p= 0.010)

Association of children’s dietwith parental HEL(during the pandemic/at present time)(Correlation analysis, All p< 0.05)

Protein-rich diet (r=0.173/ r=0.154)
Calcium-rich diet (r=0.164/ r=0.171)
Iron-rich diet (r=0.149/ r=0.169)
Vitamin D-rich diet (r=0.167/ r=0.170)
Vegetable-rich diet (r=0.154/ r=0.127)
Fruits-rich diet (r=0.137/ r=0.105)
Nutrient-rich snack (r=0.083/ r=0.084)
Supplements (r=0.142/ r=0.153)
Ice cream ( - / r=－0.135)
Soft drink ( - / r=－0.092)

Children’s gained weight and the related factors
Independent variable

Odds ratio

95% CI

Child ageChild sex
Household income(during the pandemic)
Parental HEL

1.271
0.987
1.283

1.169 – 1.382
0.529 – 1.871
1.019 – 1.616

0.488

0.321 – 0.742(Logistic regression analysis)

Conclusions
The COVID-19 pandemic may have affected the bodycomposition of children, especially those in preschooland elementary school. Improving parental HEL may
be beneficial to children’s health,particularly in terms of obesity
prevention.

children, body composition, healthy eating literacy, dietary habits, COVID-19

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest disclose concerning the study.