Weight Gain During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a High-Risk Cohort of Children in San Francisco, CA

Pandemic mitigation measures may lead to excess weight gain in children. Our objective was to assess weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic in children of ages 4-12 years with overweight and obesity in San Francisco, CA. Children with BMI ≥85th percentile measured at a clinic visit from January to March 2020 were recruited. Follow-up BMI measurements were obtained between October 2020 and March 2021 from the electronic medical record or through a video study visit. Pre- and post-BMI measurements were obtained on n = 91 participants. The majority were Latino (85%) and publicly insured (91%). Mean monthly weight gain was 0.73 kg [standard deviation (SD) 0.47], equivalent to yearly weight gain of 8.8 kg. Mean monthly change in BMI z-score was 0.02 (SD 0.04) equivalent to yearly increase in BMI-z of 0.24. Weight gain among children in San Francisco with overweight and obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic far exceeded healthy weight gain for this age group.