Nutritional and psychosocial behavior during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic among children and adolescents during the curfew in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Background/aim
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has forced governments around the world to impose national curfew measures, which in turn have changed the dietary and lifestyle habits and psychosocial health of the world’s population, especially children and adolescents. Thus, this study was conducted in an attempt to assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the nutritional and psychosocial behavior among children and adolescents during the curfew in Saudi Arabia.
Patients and methods
This cross-sectional analytical observational study was conducted through an online questionnaire using Google Forms with a total sample of 1000 Saudi children and adolescents aged from 8 to 19 years old. Chi-square was used to compare adolescents and children in terms of dietary habits and psychosocial changes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict the risk factors for depression, inattention, hyperactivity, and aggression using sociodemographic characteristics.
Results
In this study, a significant association was found between age groups and changes in dietary habits (P <0.001) in children and adolescents during curfew. The frequency of depression (P<0.001), inattention, and hyperactivity (P <0.001) was significantly higher in the adolescents compared with the children, while aggressive behavior was significantly higher in the children (P=0.001) compared with adolescents during curfew.
Conclusion
This study reveals a significant disruption in both dietary habits and psychosocial health that occurred in adolescents and children during the curfew period. The findings underscore the need to develop comprehensive strategies aimed at supporting the nutritional and mental health needs of this group during these unprecedented times.