Objective: This study aimed to assess self-reported sleeping pattern changes among adolescents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, back during COVID-19 and examined these changes in correlation with increased body mass index (BMI) and screen time usage, and changed eating habits.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi parents of children aged 12-18 years. An online questionnaire assessed physical activity, BMI changes, screen time, sleep patterns, and mental health effects during the lockdown. Participants’ mental health status, was assessed by the patient health questionnaire.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 14.98 ± 2.03 years, and 18.2% were obese during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of them, 53.1% observed weight gain during the lockdown. Only 20.5% were involved in physical activities, 42.3% used smart devices for more than 3 hours daily, 83.8% had increased screen time, and 50.6% noticed an increase in sleeping hours. Almost 25% had mild mental health effects, while 41.8%-21.6% had anxiety and depression, respectively. A non-significant relationship was found between differences in sleeping hours during lockdown and BMI, dietary habits, physical activity, screen time, school performance, psychological states, and the prevalence of mental health disorders, anxiety, or depression. Participants with improvement in school performance during lockdown had a significantly higher mean BMI before and during the pandemic, and a higher percentage of those who noticed an increase in the average time screen use during lockdown as compared to before.
Conclusion: Evaluating the pandemic’s long-term consequences on adolescents’ behaviors and psychological health is needed.
Key words: COVID-19, sleeping, weight, screen, mental, Riyadh
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