Coronavirus: Hong Kong children have packed on the pounds during pandemic, survey finds

Parents say their children have gained weight while away from the classroom, with some putting on as much as 3kg, according to Chinese University poll

They are also eating bigger portions, exercising less and spending more time in front of screens

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Pupils exercise with the help of online instruction at a promotional event for the release of the survey at Yaumati Catholic Primary School (Hoi Wang Road) on Tuesday. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 8:20pm, 11 May 2021Updated: 11:30am, 12 May 2021

Most young children have put on weight while stuck at home during the Covid-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, with the twin devils of eating more and exercising less possibly to blame, a survey has found.

Schools abandoned in-person classes for much of last year as the city struggled to bring the worsening health crisis under control, forcing students to learn in cramped flats.

In addition to complaints of slower learning and technological difficulties, many parents are now reporting their children have grown chubbier after spending so much time indoors, according to the Chinese University poll released on Tuesday. That has implications for the quality of their mental health.

The survey asked 825 parents of children aged six to 12 about how much weight their offspring had gained since October, the amount of time they spent in front of screens, and how big their meals had become.

The survey was carried out by Chinese University Professor Amy Ha together with the Jockey Club. Photo: Edmond So

Sixty-three per cent of respondents said their children were now heavier, of which 11 per cent put the gains at 3kg or more. Some 61 per cent of parents said the daily average screen time had shot up, in many cases by more than one hour, while 28 per cent admitted their children were eating more.