Associations among COVID-19 family stress, family functioning and child weight status through energy-related behaviours of children

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 family stress on family functioning and children’s energy-related behaviours, including diet, physical activity, and screen time, as well as their weight status. Data were collected in 2022 from parents of U.S. children aged 5–12 (mean ages: boys 8.36, girls 7.65) using the Prolific platform. Path analysis and child gender-based multi-group analysis revealed that higher COVID-19 family stress was related to poorer family functioning, which was associated with healthier food intake and lower unhealthy food consumption in children. Notably, girls showed stronger associations between family functioning and diet, with healthy food intake linked to weight status, though physical activity and screen time showed no significant connection. These findings highlight the role of family dynamics in children’s health behaviours during the pandemic, with unique implications for girls.