JOURNAL ARTICLE

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary behaviors among school-age children, adolescents, and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

  • Published In: Nutrition Reviews, 2025, v. 83, n. 2. P. e195 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Na, Xiaona; Zhang, Junhan; Xie, Chenyou; Zeng, Huatang; Wu, Liqun; Fan, Dongying; Yang, Haibing; Shi, Xiaojin; Zhou, Yiguo; Yu, Haoran; Tan, Yuefeng; Zhang, Yulin; Zhao, Ai 3 of 3

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary habits among school-age children (5–9 years), adolescents (10–19 years), and young adults (20–24 years) worldwide. Analyzing 40 moderate- to high-quality observational studies, the findings indicated mixed dietary changes in school-age children, including increased intake of fruit, dairy products, sugar, and juice. Adolescents showed increased meal frequency and vegetable consumption, while young adults exhibited decreased carbohydrate, fat, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake alongside increased protein and dairy consumption. Additionally, alcohol consumption significantly decreased among young adults. The study highlights the importance of monitoring both positive and negative dietary shifts during and after the pandemic, especially given the potential long-term health implications of habits formed in youth.

Additional Information

  • Source:Nutrition Reviews. 2025/02, Vol. 83, Issue 2, pe195
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0029-6643
  • DOI:10.1093/nutrit/nuae050
  • Accession Number:182214709
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Nutrition Reviews is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.