The COVID pandemic impacted many facets of children’s health and wellbeing. For instance, the number of children referred to specialist mental health services in England has increased by over 50% within three years. However, recent research conducted by my colleagues and me indicates that such issues were already on the rise before the pandemic hit.
Our research examined trends in the health and wellbeing of 36,951 primary school children spanning from 2014 to 2022. We reviewed data from anonymous annual surveys distributed to children aged eight to eleven in Wales. These surveys covered various aspects of health and wellbeing, including physical activity, diet, sleep, and mental and emotional health.
The analysis demonstrates a significant decline in multiple areas of childhood health and wellbeing over this eight-year span. While societal influences such as Brexit, the pandemic, and the cost of living crisis may contribute, our study suggests the downward trend began even before these events occurred.
Understanding these patterns is vital as childhood experiences have a profound influence on adult health and behavior, with half of all mental health issues setting in by age fourteen. We noted an especially concerning decline in swimming and cycling capabilities. As an example, in 2018, 85% of children reported they could swim 25 meters, whereas by 2022, this figure had fallen to 68%. This decline is worrying because such activities are vital for building basic movement skills and coordination in children. Cuts to funding for free swimming initiatives in Wales in 2019 and the subsequent closure of swimming pools during the pandemic to limit virus spread likely aggravated the situation.
The reduction in swimming skills more sharply impacted children from disadvantaged backgrounds, emphasizing how such funding cuts could exacerbate existing inequalities. Our study also found a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption paired with an increase in sugary snack intake, with sugar consumption peaking in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns. This suggests a possible connection between increased time spent at home and poorer dietary habits.
School routines often provide structured schedules and regular meal times, which may have been disrupted during the pandemic. These findings may advocate for universal free school meal programs, potentially reducing the disparity in access to a healthy, balanced diet.
Mental health problems, including emotional and behavioral challenges, have also surged. Emotional difficulties were reported by 13% to 15% of children between 2017 and 2018, but this figure rose to 29% between 2021 and 2022. Girls reported higher levels of emotional and behavioral issues than boys.
There was also an increase in children’s worries and feelings of loneliness, which existed even before the pandemic. This emphasizes the importance of creating environments that encourage socializing and support children’s wellbeing. Our research suggests that the decline in children’s health and wellbeing that began before the pandemic has either continued or leveled off, implying the existence of more complex issues requiring additional intervention rather than simply assuming a return to pre-pandemic conditions will suffice.
The wellbeing of school-aged children is foundational to future public health. Our findings, derived from children’s own accounts, highlight the urgent need for interventions to counteract this worrying trend. This is particularly relevant as children’s perspectives are often lacking in policy and strategic discussions.
Governments and public entities must prioritize the development and implementation of effective and sustainable solutions to reverse these trends. Policies and financial backing should focus on key aspects of childhood health and wellbeing, including crucial physical skills like swimming and cycling, fostering confidence and independence in physical activity, and overall wellbeing and socialization abilities. Building supportive environments within schools and communities is also essential.