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Background Although the relationship between circadian rhythm parameters and obesity in children and adolescents is recognized, there are few studies on this topic. The concept of sleep-corrected social jetlag (SJLsc) has been formulated recently, but its relationship with childhood obesity has not yet been established. Therefore, we thought that SJL might play an important role in the etiology of obesity. Accordingly, we aimed to compare circadian rhythm parameters between obese and normal-weight children and adolescents. Methods Seventy-nine obese and eighty-two normal-weight children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years participated in this case-control study, which took place in the Mardin province of Turkey. Data were collected with a sociodemographic information form, the Childhood Chronotype Questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements. Results The average ages of the obese participants and controls were 12.3 ± 2.3 and 12.4 ± 2.2 years, respectively. Obese young people had greater evening preference, longer sleep debt duration, SJL duration and SJLsc duration, and higher Morningness–Eveningness Scale (MeScale) scores; and shorter mean sleep duration (p<0.005). In regression analyses, BMI z scores were significantly correlated with all circadian rhythm parameters, except SJLsc duration, while WC z scores were significantly correlated with all circadian rhythm parameters, except mean sleep duration. After adjustment, the high MeScale scores (OR: 1.142, p<0.05) and the presence of psychiatric disorder in the mother (OR: 15.075, p<0.05) were associated with obesity. Conclusions Circadian rhythm parameters can play an important role in the etiology of obesity. Future studies with larger samples and fewer confounding factors are needed to clarify the etiological factors.

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Self-help treatments are an important intervention tool, with high accessibility and ease of application. To our knowledge, no research has previously been conducted on any self-help intervention derived from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. In this study, we evaluated the mental health status of children not directly affected by the pandemic and investigated the effects of using an EMDR-derived self-help intervention in children as a low-intensity treatment. The mental health status of 178 children was evaluated online via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and Childhood Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI). Then, children were randomly assigned to intervention and waitlist. A booklet containing EMDR-derived techniques was sent via the school online portal and the intervention was conducted. Posttests were administered 4 weeks later. The attrition rate was 45.5%, with 97 children completing the trial (intervention: 52; waitlist: 45). At baseline, 76.4% of children showed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) above threshold. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in the posttest PTSS scores for the intervention group compared to waitlist. The intervention group had significant pre–post improvement on all but one subscale, while the waitlist group showed significant increase in state anxiety on the STAIC. In conclusion, posttraumatic stress was found to be high in children during the COVID-19 outbreak period, and EMDR-derived self-help intervention appeared to be an effective psychosocial intervention tool.

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