As COVID-19 captured the world’s attention, a more silent epidemic grew in its wake. Pediatric obesity rates in the US rose from 19.3% in August 2019 to 22.4% in August 2020.1 The rate of child body mass index growth (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared per unit of time) nearly doubled during this time, from 0.052/mo prepandemic to 0.100/mo midpandemic, despite a relative stabilization in previous years.1 The recent rise in obesity and body mass index disproportionately affected youths with preexisting overweight, those of color, and those from low-income households, exacerbating existing health inequities. The increase in obesity reflects a deterioration of health behaviors,2 fueled by pandemic disruptions (eg, physical distancing; remote school, work, and socializing) that worsened existing systemic inequities. In this article, we examine recent behavioral shifts in children’s diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen time from a health equity perspective and provide upstream interventions to support overall child health.

System-level disruptions in food economies along with rising inflation critically hindered healthy food availability, accessibility, and affordability, resulting in nearly 33.8 million people experiencing food insecurity in 2021, according to the […]