BMI status and associations between affect, physical activity and anxiety among U.S. children during COVID-19

BACKGROUND

There is concern regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the psychological and physical health of children, but to date, studies on mental health during the pandemic in children are limited. Furthermore, unprecedented lifestyle stressors associated with the pandemic may aggravate the childhood obesity epidemic, but the role of BMI on child activity levels and psychological outcomes during COVID-19 is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated how emotional responses (positive/negative affect), physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours related to anxiety among U.S. children with healthy weight and overweight/obesity during the pandemic.

METHODS

Sixty-four typically developing children (63% girls, 53% healthy weight) aged 9 to 15 years completed two virtual visits during the height of 'stay-at-home' measures from April 22 to July 29, 2020. Children completed 24-hours PA recalls, state portion of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children and the 10-item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children.

RESULTS

Independent of child BMI status, child anxiety scores were over five standard deviations greater than normative values from paediatric populations prior to the pandemic. Higher positive affect and PA were each associated with reduced anxiety levels in children with overweight/obesity, whereas higher positive affect was associated with reduced anxiety in children with healthy weight. Greater leisure screen time was associated with higher negative affect irrespective of child BMI status.

CONCLUSIONS

These associations highlight the potential mental health benefits of maintaining positive affect, engaging in PA and limiting leisure screen time for children during the pandemic and suggest that these associations may be particularly relevant for children with overweight/obesity.

Temperament Styles of Children from Egypt and the United States: A Cross-Cultural Examination

Age, gender, and cross-national differences of children ages 9 through 15 in Egypt (N = 800) and the United States (U.S., N = 800) are examined on four bipolar temperament styles: extroversion-introversion, practical-imaginative, thinking-feeling, and organized-flexible using the Student Styles Questionnaire (SSQ). Egyptian children generally prefer extroverted over introverted, practical over imaginative, and organized over flexible styles. Their general preference for feeling over thinking styles is gender related; although both males and females generally prefer feeling styles, males are less likely than females to prefer this style. Age differences are found on extroverted-introverted and practical-imaginative styles. Cross-national differences are found on four temperament styles. In contrast to children in the U.S., children in Egypt are more likely to prefer extroverted, practical, feeling, and organized styles.