Impact of social isolation during COVID-19 on anthropometric data, quality of life, baseline physical activity and aortic pulse wave parameters in children and adolescents in two independent samples.

BACKGROUND: The social restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the routine of children and adolescents, with important consequences such as sleep, eating, and psychological/psychiatric disorders. Even though there are no studies on the subject, it is possible that these changes in habit and routine have also affected arterial stiffness (AS) in this population, which is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess possible changes in AS, anthropometry, and quality of life (QoL) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents. METHODS: A controlled observational cross-sectional study was performed with 193 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years, allocated into two groups: before the pandemic (BPG) and one year after the pandemic (APG), matched by age and sex. Cardiovascular parameters were measured non-invasively by brachial artery oscillometry with a portable device. The main AS indices evaluated were the augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) derived from the aortic pulse wave. QoL was assessed using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0). RESULTS: Regarding QoL, the APG showed a worsening in emotional (p = 0.002) and school-related (p = 0.010) aspects. There was no statistically significant difference for most anthropometric parameters, except for the hip circumference, which was higher in the APG group (p < 0.001). The main predictor of AS in the paediatric population, AIx@75, was shown to be increased in the APG group (p < 0.001). Other cardiovascular parameters were also different, such as peripheral (p = 0.002) and central (p = 0.003) diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume (p = 0.010), and total vascular resistance (p = 0.002), which were shown to be decreased in the APG group, while the heart rate was increased (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that routine changes resulting from the period of social isolation increased cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents, evident by the increase in AIx@75, which is considered to be an important marker of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population.

Eating behaviour, quality of life and cardiovascular risk in obese and overweight children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor because it predisposes individuals to comorbidities that are implicated in an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Its origin may be related to poor eating habits, such as the intake of foods of low nutritional value or inadequate eating behaviours related to emotional factors. This work aims to evaluate the relationship between the total body mass of children and adolescents and its association with eating habits, quality of life (QoL), and possible changes in early markers of cardiovascular risk. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study that evaluated anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters, QoL, and eating behaviour in 181 children and adolescents aged between 5 and 13 years. Participants were stratified according to BMI/age into three groups (Adequate Weight, Overweight, and Obesity). Anthropometry included weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, waist-hip ratio, and waist-height ratio. QoL was assessed using the Peds-QL 4.0 questionnaire, and eating behaviour was assessed using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Cardiovascular parameters were assessed using the Mobil-O-Graph® device, which measures the pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx@75) to estimate arterial stiffness (AS), which is considered an early marker of cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: In addition to the increase in anthropometric measurements (p < 0.001), the Obesity group exhibited behaviour related to food intake (p < 0.05). When analysing QoL, a worsening in the social domain was also observed in the Obesity group (p < 0.05). However, PWV and AIx@75 did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Eating behaviour is related to the development of childhood obesity. However, early markers of cardiovascular risk related to AS did not change as a function of total body mass in the children evaluated.