PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — For months, 10 On Your Side’s reporting has focused on the COVID-19 pandemic.
But there’s another pandemic now converging with the coronavirus, and medical experts fear each will exacerbate the other.
Obesity affects approximately 18.5 percent of American children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters pediatrician Dr. Wendy Schofer focuses on obesity and nutrition in her work with Virginia’s American Academy of Pediatrics chapter and Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Brock Institute.
She says pediatricians have noticed a pattern when it comes to pediatric weight gain.
“When kids are out of school for the summer there is a tendency for them to gain weight, even though we would think that they would be around and playing,” she said. “It’s actually because of the lack of structure, not being in school.”
A similar breakdown in normal structures and routines has now stretched to nine months for many American children.
While EVMS and CHKD are not currently collecting data on the issue, anecdotally, Schofer has noticed an unhealthy change.
“It is something we’re noticing, hearing concerns from families about increasing weight gain.”
The causes of childhood obesity are complex, but Schofer says nearly all of them are compounded by the pandemic.
Limited access to healthy food, changes in sleep habits and less activity at home can all lead to weight gain, and just like adults, children may turn to emotional eating to soothe stress and anxiety.
“Quite honestly, I look at that as being the largest source for those concerns that cause or contribute to obesity,” Schofer said.
In Portsmouth, Churchland High School physical education teacher Steve Couther has noticed the domino effect of those emotions on his students’ health.
“They were depressed, didn’t quite know what to do, felt like they were trapped in the house,” he said.
Couther and Churchland Academy Elementary P.E. teacher Jenson Baker both teach mental wellness in their virtual classes.
“I’m a strong believer in mindfulness, being in the present moment,” said Baker, who has been teaching 41 years.
“Sometimes we just throw the lesson out the window and say ‘Hey man, how are you doing today, what are some things that you plan on doing?” Couther said.
Both also recognize, however, that movement can help with mental wellness.
Their goal is to get students moving 60 minutes a day, whether by biking or walking with friends, or following along with Baker’s YouTube videos, featuring his old-school dance tutorials or guest yoga, Zumba and boxing instructors.
Schofer says it will likely be a long time before we fully see the effects of the pandemic on childhood obesity.
In the meantime, she advises parents who are concerned to talk to their family doctor.
