ArticleBMJ open2021
Impact of school closures on the health and well-being of primary school children in Wales UK: a routine data linkage study using the HAPPEN Survey (2018-2020).
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dietary Changes of Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.The Journal of nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- How the COVID-19 pandemic and related school closures reduce physical activity among children and adolescents in the WHO European Region: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2023Pooled it
- The Impact of COVID-19-Related Living Restrictions on Eating Behaviours in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Socioeconomic inequalities in physical activity among children and adolescents in the UK and Ireland: a scoping review mapping evidence from 2015 to 2025.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Trends in physical fitness among children and adolescents in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analyses during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of sport and health science · 2025Review
- Child Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-cohort Comparison and a Multi-informant Genetic Study.Behavior genetics · 2025Article
- Secular Trends of Children's Physical Fitness and the Impact of the COVID-Pandemic for Years 2012 to 2023.Sports medicine - open · 2025Article
- Examining the health literacy and health behaviours of children aged 8-11 in Wales, UK.Health promotion international · 2025Article
- A study comparing positive benefits for parents, and their children, of children attending the UK's holiday activities and food program to parents of non-attendees.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
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- Article
- Re-energizing health literacy in Wales: a testbed for health, education and prosperity for all.Health promotion international · 2024Article
- Scoping review: longitudinal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent mental health.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2024Article
- Article
- Cohort profile: Born in Wales-a birth cohort with maternity, parental and child data linkage for life course research in Wales, UK.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Changes in self-reported health and wellbeing outcomes in 36,951 primary school children from 2014 to 2022 in Wales: an analysis using annual survey data.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Inequalities in children's mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.Journal of epidemiology and community health · 2023Article
- Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with variations in daily routines in elementary schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.Public health nutrition · 2023Article
- "I miss the normalness": Mother and child perspectives of well-being and effective remote support from primary schools during Covid-19 school closures.BMC psychology · 2023Article
- COVID-19, education and child health.BMJ paediatrics open · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThis study aimed to explore the relationship between initial school closures and children's health by comparing health and well-being outcomes collected during school closures (April-June 2020) via HAPPEN (the Health and Attainment of Pupils in a Primary Education Network) with data from the same period in 2019 and 2018 via the HAPPEN Survey.
settingThe study was conducted online with 161 primary schools across Wales involved in the 'HAPPEN At Home' Survey.
participantsData were collected via the 'HAPPEN At Home' Survey capturing the typical health behaviours of children aged 8-11 years from 1333 participants across Wales. These data were compared with data in 2018 and 2019 also collected between April and June, from HAPPEN (2019 (n=1150) and 2018 (n=475)). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes included validated measures of physical activity, screen time, diet and dental health, as well as well-being, competency and autonomy. Free school meal (FSM) status was used as a proxy for socioeconomic deprivation. Analyses were repeated stratifying by FSM.
resultsComparing responses between April-June in 2020 (n=1068), 2019 (n=1150) and 2018 (n=475), there were improvements in physical activity levels, sleep time, happiness and general well-being for children during school closures compared with previous years. However, children on FSM ate fewer fruits and vegetables (21% less at five or more portions of fruits and vegetables (95% CI: 5.7% to 37%)) and had lower self-assessed school competence compared with 2019. Compared with those not on FSM, they also spent less time doing physical activity (13.03%, 95% CI: 3.3% to 21.7%) and consumed more takeaways (16.3%, 95% CI: 2% to 30%) during school closures.
conclusionsThis study suggests that schools are important in reducing inequalities in physical health. The physical health (eg, physical activity and diet) of children eligible for FSM may be affected by prolonged school closures.
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