The results of the OKkio alla Salute (National Institute of Health) surveillance system on over 50 thousand primary school pupils. The effects of the pandemic on the lifestyles and well-being of children and their families
19 percent of Italian children are overweight, 9.8 percent live with obesity. One in five children does not carry out regular physical activity, one in four drinks sugary/fizzy drinks every day, almost half spend more than two hours a day in front of the TV, mobile phone or tablet screen. And, after the pandemic, children are sadder and lonely. These are some data presented during a conference at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, taken from the national surveillance system «OK to Health» (2023) – coordinated by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CNaPPS) of the Institute – and by the EPaS-Iss study «Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health behaviors and lifestyle of girls , children and their families residing in Italy”, promoted and financed by the Institute and conducted in collaboration with the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) of the European Region of the World Health Organization.
Table habits
«OKkio alla Salute» is a national surveillance system – involving all the Regions – on overweight and obesity and related risk factors in primary school children (6-10 years). It is coordinated by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Institute, as part of the initiative of the WHO European Region «Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative-COSI». Well, from the data collected in 2023 on over 50 thousand children and as many families, who reported their children’s habits, it appears that almost one in five is overweight, one in ten obese and, among the latter, 2.6 percent has severe obesity.
But what do children eat? Almost two in five do not eat an adequate breakfast, more than half consume a plentiful mid-morning snack, one in four drinks sugary/fizzy drinks every day and eats fruit and vegetables less than once a day. As for legumes, 37 percent of children eat them less than once a week, while more than half eat sweet snacks more than three days a week.
Lack of physical activity
The data processed by the «OKkio alla Salute» surveillance system highlight that one in five children did not do physical activity the day before the interview, less than 30 percent go to school on foot or by bicycle, almost half spend more two hours a day in front of the TV, mobile or tablet screen.
Health implications
The indicators on eating habits and physical activity have only changed slightly compared to the data collection done in 2019. A higher excess weight continues to be recorded (but stable) in children living in the South. Furthermore, social conditions – family economics influence lifestyles in general.
«The data, while noting a decrease in child excess weight from 2008 to today, still highlight high prevalences of excess weight and inappropriate lifestyles in girls and boys, which may have implications for their health – comments Professor Giovanni Capelli , director of CNaPPS – . School, family, health professionals and society as a whole can play an important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity and in the promotion of healthy lifestyles. It is a priority to address unjustifiable inequalities due to geographical and socioeconomic factors.”
Effects of the pandemic on children’s well-being
During the conference, the results of the EPaS-Iss study “Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health behaviors and lifestyle of girls, boys and their families residing in Italy” were also presented. The quantitative and qualitative survey, carried out thanks to the OKkio alla Salute network from 2021 to 2023, involved children in the third year of primary school and their families.
The study showed that, during the pandemic period, the consumption of salty snacks (24%) and sweet foods (25%) increased and, however, that of fruit (8%) and vegetables (9%) decreased slightly. There were also positive changes such as a greater consumption of family meals (39%) and food cooked at home by parents together with their children (42%).
Mothers and fathers reported that, compared to the pre-pandemic period, their children’s physical and psychosocial well-being has worsened. In particular, they noticed a decrease in vitality and energy, as well as an increase in feelings of sadness and loneliness. In analogy with what was found at an international level, the data from the study on movement and sedentary lifestyle highlight a reduction in the time dedicated to active play and outdoor activities (44%) and an increase in the time spent in front of an electronic device (53% ).
The study also reports an increase in educational inequalities following distance learning, especially among the most vulnerable children.
10 maggio 2024
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