Impact of COVID-19 and related stressors on children's weight and mental health outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the economic stability and daily routines of Canadian families. However, little is known about the long-term impact of these disruptions on children's health outcomes. The goal of the proposed study is to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the weight and mental health outcomes of Canadian children. To achieve this goal, we will use data from 300 children aged 18 months to 5 years who are participants in the Guelph Family Health Study. The Guelph Family Health Study is a well characterized family-based intervention study that collected family-level data prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the Guelph Family Health Study is ideally suited to identify how stressors due to COVID-19 restrictions are associated with children's weight and mental health outcomes. By increasing our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the weight and mental health outcomes of children, this research will provide a much-needed basis for effective health interventions that support families with young children in managing stress and promoting healthy behaviours in the post-COVID-19 context.