Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on physical health amongst children: Difference‐in‐differences analyses of nationwide school health checkup database
Main finding · Obesity (boys and girls)Result — go to the resultExcess increase +0.42 % 95% CI 0.23–0.61Authors' conclusion
These findings underscore the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on various health indicators for school-aged children. This information could be valuable for public health policy and paediatric healthcare planning in the post-pandemic era.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 7–15 years in nationwide school health checkup records who graduated from junior high school during fiscal years 2007 to 20223,544,146 records
- Participants
- 393,794 children
- Exposure
- COVID-19 pandemic period vs pre-pandemic period
- Outcome
- Obesity (boys and girls)
- Follow-up
- Persisting over the 3 years
Methodological detailsnationwide, difference-in-differences analyses with multiple time periods
- Nationwide
- Difference-in-differences analyses with multiple time periods
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Excess increase
+0.42 %
95% CI 0.23–0.61
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Underweight
- Excess increase in underweight associated with the pandemic
- +0.28% [0.25-0.32]
- Difference-in-differences vs pre-pandemic period
Poor visual acuity, boys · 3rd year
- Excess increase in poor visual acuity amongst boys in the 3rd year
- +1.80% [1.30-2.30]
- Difference-in-differences vs pre-pandemic period
Dental caries · 3rd year of the pandemic
- Excess reduction in dental caries
- −1.48% [−2.01 to −0.95]
- Difference-in-differences
Glucosuria · 3rd year of the pandemic
- Excess reduction in glucosuria
- −0.55 [−0.88 to −0.23]
- Difference-in-differences
Hematuria · 3rd year of the pandemic
- Excess reduction in hematuria
- −0.43% [−0.73 to −0.13]
- Difference-in-differences
Original publication
Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on physical health amongst children: Difference‐in‐differences analyses of nationwide school health checkup database. Pediatr Obes. Published 10 May 2024. doi:10.
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