Changes in eating habits and sedentary behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with chronic conditions

PurposeTo report on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on eating habits and sedentary behavior among adolescents with multiple chronic conditions (n=347) from a tertiary, referral hospital vs. healthy peers. MethodsThis observational study was conducted in Sao Paulo (Brazil) between July and October 2020, period in which a set of social distancing measures to contain the pandemic. ResultsThe main findings of this study were that adolescents with chronic conditions showed important changes in eating habits (e.g., less often consumption of convenience foods and more often eating in front of television than before quarantine). Also, 86.8% of adolescents with chronic conditions reported increasing screen time during pandemic. No major differences were observed between patients and controls. ConclusionsAdolescents with chronic conditions exposed to pandemic showed substantial changes in lifestyle, stressing the need for specific care to mitigate poor eating habits and excessive sedentary behavior in this group.