COVID-19 and Changes in Child Obesity
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused economic hardship, school closings, shutdowns, limited physical activities, and increased food insecurity for many families. In December 2020, the American Academy of Pediatrics released interim guidance on how pediatricians can help children and families address healthy lifestyles and obesity management during the pandemic. To best support pediatric health system obesity prevention and management efforts, a better understanding of emerging disparities is needed to identify at-risk populations and develop focused interventions. Through a large pediatric primary care network, we evaluated the shifting rates of obesity for patients attending visits and explored disparities based on age, race and ethnicity, insurance, and income.