LB096 - IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG CHILDREN IN SAUDI ARABIA

LB096

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG CHILDREN IN SAUDI ARABIA

I. A. Bindayel^1,*, N. Alsulami¹

¹Community Health Sciences , King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Rationale: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted children's access to essential resources, with potential consequences for nutrition, physical activity, and mental health. This study examined these effects among children in Saudi Arabia to inform targeted post-pandemic interventions.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study used a structured, self-administered questionnaire distributed to parents of children aged 6–16 years residing in Saudi Arabia. The instrument was adapted from a validated Italian tool and culturally modified for the Saudi context, covering sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, physical activity, and psychological well-being. Only parents providing informed consent and completing the questionnaire fully were included. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 28); p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Among 202 participants, 30.2% of children were overweight or obese and 5.4% severely underweight. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with age (p < 0.001) and caregiver employment status (p = 0.019). Younger children (6–8 years) showed better breakfast habits but more behavioral difficulties; older children (12–16 years) reported greater body image concerns. Psychological distress correlated with feeding behavior (ρ = 0.325, p < 0.001) and physical activity (ρ = 0.199, p = 0.005). Girls reported higher media pressure and body dissatisfaction; boys showed higher physical activity levels. COVID-19-related emotional impact strongly predicted psychological difficulties (ρ = 0.628, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The pandemic had multifaceted effects on children's nutrition, physical activity, and mental health. Age- and gender-sensitive interventions targeting emotional resilience, healthy eating, and physical activity are warranted.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared