Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Food Habits, Body Weight, and Physical Activity in School-Aged Students

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, represents a significant health crisis, particularly affecting individuals’ physical and mental well-being across all ages, especially students. This study seeks to assess how the COVID-19 lockdown affected food consumption, body weight, physical activity, and sleep patterns among Algerian students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 128 students, averaging 17.99 years old, featuring questions on demographics, body measurements, food habits, and lifestyle changes during the lockdown. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, employing methods such as the Student's t-test, Spearman's correlation, and the Chi-square test to describe the results. Findings revealed a notable disparity in overweight rates (p<0.001), with females at 25.93% and males at 10.64%. Furthermore, 29.63% of females reduced their food intake, while 34.04% of males increased theirs (p=0.003). During the lockdown, 23.46% of females gained weight, contrasting with 35.8% who lost weight. There were notable and statistically significant differences between the sexes, with p<0.001. Physical activity levels were 17.19% higher on school days compared to during the lockdown. Sports activity and walking durations were significantly greater for males than females (p<0.001). Conversely, the mean sleep duration of students during the COVID-19 lockdown was 7.33±1.16 hours, with significant differences observed between sexes (p<0.001) These findings provide a valuable foundation for future research exploring the impact of COVID-19 on populations. They offer insights that may inform policy-making, public health strategies, and further academic studies.