Psychological distress and internet-related behaviors between schoolchildren with and without overweight during the COVID-19 outbreak

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 677 - 686
• Main Authors: Chen, Chao-Ying, Chen, I-Hua, O’Brien, Kerry S., Latner, Janet D., Lin, Chung-Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.03.2021; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/700/1720; 692/700/478; Adolescent; Anxiety; Body weight; Child; China - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Digital media; Elementary school students; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Fear; Female; Health aspects; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Humans; Infections; Internal Medicine; Internet; Internet Use - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Mental health; Metabolic Diseases; Obesity in children; Online social networks; Overweight; Overweight - epidemiology; Overweight - psychology; Pandemics; Pediatric research; Psychological aspects; Psychological Distress; Psychological stress; Public Health; Regression analysis; Regression models; Smartphones; Social networks; Social policy; Stigma; Stress; Stress (Psychology); Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys; Viral diseases; China
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/s41366-021-00741-5

Objective The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and its resulting social policy changes may result in psychological distress among schoolchildren with overweight. This study thus aimed to (1) compare psychological distress (including fear of COVID-19 infection, stress, anxiety, and depression), perceived weight stigma, and problematic internet-related behaviors between schoolchildren with and without overweight; (2) assess whether perceived weight stigma and problematic internet-related behaviors explained psychological distress. Methods Schoolchildren ( n  = 1357; mean age = 10.7 years) with overweight ( n  = 236) and without overweight ( n  = 1121) completed an online survey assessing their fear of COVID-19 infection, stress, anxiety, depression, perceived weight stigma, problematic smartphone application use, problematic social media use, and problematic gaming. Results Schoolchildren with overweight had significantly higher levels of COVID-19 infection fear, stress, depression, perceived weight stigma, and problematic social media use than those without overweight. Regression models showed that perceived weight stigma and problematic internet-related behaviors were significant predictors of psychological distress among schoolchildren with overweight. Conclusion Strategies to manage perceived weight stigma and problematic internet-related behaviors may have a positive influence on mental health among schoolchildren with overweight under health-threatening circumstances, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.