Pediatricians warn that prolonged discontinuation of the coronavirus pandemic in school, in sports, and in other activities leads to weight gain that could have a long-term impact on children’s health.
Students taste more and exercise less, and nutritionists and doctors studying obesity worry that the pandemic puts children at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and asthma, among other health problems.
“We see a lot of elementary school-aged kids earning between £ 20 and £ 30 a year,” said Hai Cao, a pediatrician and owner of South Slope Pediatrics in Brooklyn, NY.
Brittany Wilson, an assistant physician at Island Kids Pediatrics in Staten Island, NY, said the pandemic appears to have accelerated weight gain among patients who were already overweight. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 seem to earn the most.
“Even high school kids get depressed,” said Wilson. “They miss their friends. Many of them do not do as well academically. With depression comes weight gain. They are bored and I think they eat comfortably ”.