ESPE Abstracts

Background: COVID-19 restriction measurements have determined profound alterations in glucose and insulin metabolism in children with overweight and obesity. However, to date few data have explored the effects of the relaxation of restrictions in the pediatric population. Thus, we compared anthropometric and OGTT data in children with overweight and obesity during the two years after (2021-2023) compared to the two years during (2020-2021) and before (2018-2019) COVID-19 pandemic.

Subjects and Methods: Data from 266 children with obesity and overweight were retrieved and clustered into three groups: pre-COVID-19 group (103 children), COVID-19 group (78 children), post-COVID-19 children (85 children). Differences in anthropometric measurements and fasting and post-load glucose/insulin metabolism were evaluated across the three groups.

Results: No difference in terms of age, puberty and gender was documented across the three groups. In contrast, Waist Circumference (WC) was different across the three groups showing significantly higher values in COVID-19 group compared the the other two groups, while no significant differences were documented between the lastest groups. Similarly, fasting glycaemia and insulin values, indexes of Insulin resistance as well as glucose and insulin excursions during OGTT were significantly different across the three groups having the COVID-19 group significantly higher values, while no differences were documented between the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 groups.

Conclusion: Relaxation of Covid-19 restriction measurements in children with overweight and obesity during the two years after pandemic have induced positive effects on anthropometric parameters and insulin sensitivity indices and glucose/insulin metabolimsm, reaching values documented in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic.