Parents’ Perception of Food Insecurity and of Its Effects on Their Children in Italy Six Months after the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak

Abstract

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and subsequent containment measures are causing an increase in food insecurity (FI) worldwide, with direct consequences on children’s nutrition. We aimed to investigate the effects of the lockdown imposed in Italy on FI and changes in eating habits and body weight in the pediatric population 6 months after the beginning of the pandemic through a cross-sectional online survey proposed to parents of children <18 and living in Italy. Among 5811 respondents, most of whom were Italian, living in Northern Italy, and with a wealthy household economy, 8.3% reported that their families were at risk of FI before the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 and, alarmingly, this percentage increased to 16.2% after the pandemic began, with households from Southern Italy being more at risk. Moreover, 27.3% of the parents reported that their children were eating more; an increase in “junk food” consumption was also found; 31.8% of the respondents declared an increase in children’s weight; weight loss prevailed among adolescents. Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is again requiring restrictions, our findings might serve as a warning to politicians to promote healthy lifestyles and provide assistance to the groups in need.

COVID-19 Leads to Accelerated Increases in Children's BMI z-Score Gain: An Interrupted Time-Series Study

“…12 Finally, the lack of the school day likely led to variable and later sleep schedules, both of which have been linked to increased risk for overweight or obesity. 58,59 Preliminary and largely self-reported evidence from around the world indicates that during the pandemic, children were more sedentary, engaged in more screen time 39 and less physical activity, 13,40,41 ate more unhealthy and fewer healthy foods, 13,42 and experienced later and more variable sleep schedules. 43,44 Engagement in similar behaviors is likely the behavioral mechanism responsible for the accelerated BMI gain in the current study.…”

“…Preliminary and largely self-reported evidence from around the world indicates that during the pandemic, children were more sedentary, engaged in more screen time 35 and less physical activity, 9 , 36 , 37 ate more unhealthy and fewer healthy foods, 9 , 38 and experienced later and more variable sleep schedules. 39 , 40 Engagement in similar behaviors is likely the behavioral mechanism responsible for the accelerated BMI gain in this study.…”

“…29 Furthermore, preliminary, largely self-report studies indicate that children's health behaviors have deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 9 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's zBMI.…”

Prevalence and factors associated with food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Identifying modifiable factors associated with FI can serve as a basis for designing strategies that mitigate the consequences of disruptions caused by health crises, such as the pandemic and the consequent FI, and that strengthen regional food systems, making them more sustainable and sustainable. Although several studies have evaluated FI during the pandemic, the majority correspond to high- or low-income countries with socioeconomic and cultural characteristics that do not allow comparisons with our continent 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 . In LAC, studies in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru have been published 21 , 22 , 23 : however, these have been carried out in small samples and did not evaluate the influence of different sociodemographic factors.…”

Social predictors of food insecurity during the stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru. Results from a cross-sectional web-based survey

“…Furthermore, higher food prices, changes in diets, increased depression, anxiety and physical violence against women have all been associated with stay-at-home orders. (11,12,13) Recent studies have also reported an increase in food insecurity after implementation of stay-athome orders, (14)(15)(16) which worsens as the crisis intensifies. (11) These results are alarming, especially considering that the World Food Program estimated the number of people experiencing food insecurity will increase to 265 million by the end of 2020, (17) accompanied by potential negative effects on health and household relations.…”