EATING BEHAVIORS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY CONTEXT

ABSTRACT

A healthy and balanced diet has been identified as a primary factor for good health across the entire lifespan. Early in 2020, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread very quickly worldwide and was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic. Preliminary reports indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased unhealthy eating patterns, especially in at-risk populations and in children and adolescents (e.g., increased snack intake). The evolution of the pandemic and, consequently, the tightening of social restrictions (e.g., social distancing, isolation, mandatory lockdowns) led families to spend more time together in close quarters. Accordingly, the routine of families eating meals together increased, allowing for more opportunities to instill parental food practices. Furthermore, as a consequence of this health crisis, food insecurity may have increased, impacting parental feeding practices and family food consumption. Overall, current findings within the family context indicate potential impacts on child and adult obesity risk, indicating several modifiable points of intervention in this context. For this reason, exploring the recent data and the impact of COVID- 19 on children and adolescents' eating behaviors is crucial to deepen our understanding of the phenomenon. Analysis of current literature findings is expected to prompt reflection on the role of the family and generate discussion and suggestions for best practices to follow in future crises. Additionally, this analysis is expected to elicit thinking on future policy guidelines. Hopefully, the discussion on prior findings will provide i) a deepened foresight into the impact of the current pandemic on eating behaviors in children and adolescents, and ii) support to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers efforts in mitigating long-term negative consequences through educational tools aimed to promote healthy eating in the younger population, with particular emphasis on the family context. © 2022 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.