Today, a study carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), with scientific coordination from the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), is presented, which shows a comprehensive view of how the Covid-19 pandemic influenced children’s routines and behaviors of school age (6-10 years) in 17 WHO-Europe Member States. In particular, in the period between 2020 and 2022, it was found that the youngest children had an increase in family relationships, but suffered changes in eating habits, socialization behaviors or physical activity.
The study “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily routine and behaviors of school-age children in Europe”, which focuses on the aforementioned pandemic period, indicates that intensified family life during the pandemic had positive impacts on family dynamics.
There was a significant increase in “sharing family meals” (29%) and in the practice of “preparing meals together with the child” (30%). Furthermore, 28% of families chose to “buy food in bulk” instead of making frequent purchases in supermarkets.
Changes in Food Consumption
The data also points to changes in eating habits during the pandemic. There was an increase in the consumption of fruits (10.3%), vegetables (7.0%) and dairy products (10.8%). However, around 20% of families reported that their children started consuming more salty and sweet snacks, such as sweets, gum, cakes and ice cream.
Prevalence of COVID-19 in Portugal
Between 2020 and 2022, Portugal faced worrying numbers regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 among children. Surprisingly, 55.3% of children tested positive for the virus and were forced to undergo home isolation, well above the average for the European countries considered, of 22% of children.
The study found that the pandemic exacerbated the financial difficulties of European families. Globally, more families reported “difficulty reaching the end of the month