The Covid-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the mental health of children aged between nine and 12 in Ireland, new research indicates.

Four-hundred parents of children in this age group were surveyed in August and according to the findings, 40% said that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their child’s mental health.

Furthermore, 57% of parents said that their child gets upset more easily now than they did before the pandemic.

Overall, 68% said that their child experiences anxiety and can experience periods of low mood, with 4% describing their child as very anxious.

Some 84% of parents admitted that their child was spending more time on screens as a result of the pandemic. An increase in time spent on social media was also noted, with 80% of parents stating that their child had been spending more time on TikTok, Facebook or Instragram over the last 18 months.

However, the positive impact that physical activity has on children was also recognised by parents, with 87% stating that their child is noticeably happier after being physically active. Yet despite this, 58% of children in this age group are not getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

Furthermore, 24% of parents said they do not have adequate knowledge or understanding to ensure that their children are getting adequate levels of physical activity on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the importance of diet and nutrition was also highlighted in the survey, with 47% of parents stating that their child has access to too many unhealthy food options and 23% stating that the pandemic has led to a disimprovement in their child’s eating habits.

Some 74% said there has been an increase in snacking, while 51% admitted it was harder to say no to their children when they asked for treats during the pandemic.

Some 45% also acknowledged that they were eating more takeaways as a family over the last 18 months.

Over 30% of parents said they would like to teach their child how to cook, but they simply do not know where to begin or where to get information on this.

The research was conducted through an online survey across a nationally representative sample of 400 adults with dependent children aged between nine and 12. Quotas were placed on gender, age, social class and region. with weighting applied to ensure final data was representative of these quotas.

The survey was carried out on behalf of Laya Healthcare as part of its Laya Super Troopers Programme, a health homework initiative which is endorsed by Healthy Ireland.