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Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 May 2024) | Viewed by 13575

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Dr. Sousana Papadopoulou

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Guest Editor

Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: nutrition; anthropometry; physical activity; diet
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Constantinos Giaginis

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Co-Guest Editor

Department of Food Science & Nutrition, University of the Aegean, Lemnos, Greece
Interests: human nutrition; cancer; cancer treatment; cancer diagnostics; wellness; public health; nutritional pathophysiology; nutritional epidemiology; nutritional assessment; cancer biomarkers
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Dear Colleagues,

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused over 305 million infections and about 5.5 million deaths worldwide. Significant changes in the accessibility and viability of health services have been observed during the COVID-19 period. In the last few years, this pandemic appears to impact several health and lifestyle behaviours, including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, eating habits and dietary behaviours, mental health, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, etc. There is also increasing evidence of a link between nutritional status and the risk and progression of COVID-19. The consumption of energy-dense food has increased during lockdown, especially sweets, cookies, and cakes, along with the frequency of uncontrolled eating and snacking between meals. The eating habits and nutritional status of the global population seem to have been considerably affected by the pandemic, being related with several mental health complications such as depression, anxiety, and stress, which in turn may increase the risk of human morbidity from metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory pathological states, tumour malignancies, sleep disorders, and others. Nutrition-related psychological disease states such as emotional and external eating, binge eating, as well nutritional deficiencies have increased during the pandemic. In this respect, healthy eating and healthy dietary patterns, as well as supplement use (vitamins, metals, trace elements, and natural/herbal products) may strengthen the immune system, preventing COVID-19 infection and improving overall health-related quality of life. In view of the above considerations, this Special Issue aims to focus to the eating habits and the underlying nutritional behaviours that may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as public health strategies and interventions which will promote human well-being and daily lifestyle, reducing the overall human morbidity due to the pandemic.

Dr. Sousana Papadopoulou
Dr. Constantinos Giaginis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

human nutrition
public health
nutritional interventions
quality of life
mental health
chronic diseases

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in the Brazilian Amazon during COVID-19

by Elyecleyde Katiane da Silva Oliveira, Tamires dos Santos Vieira, Orivaldo Florêncio de Souza, Priscilla Rayanne e Silva Noll, Italla Maria Pinheiro Bezerra, Matheus Paiva Emidio Cavalcanti, Luiz Carlos de Abreu and Andres Ricardo Perez Riera

Nutrients 2024, 16(13), 2117; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132117 - 2 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1487

Abstract

Background: A COVID-19 pandemic erupted, causing a global viral pneumonia outbreak, marking the most significant public health crisis of the 21st century. These changes profoundly impacted population health and well-being, leading to shifts in dietary habits. This study aimed to evaluate the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the Brazilian Amazon before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a secondary data analysis study derived from the Surveillance System of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey (Vigitel, 2019–2021) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. All statistical analyses were performed using the Stata 17 statistical program in the survey module (svy). Results: We found an increased frequency in the subgroups of consumption of ultra-processed foods in the capital of the Brazilian Amazon region between the years 2019 and 2021. In the cities of Boa Vista and Macapá, there was a significant increase in the consumption of snacks, salty snacks, cookies, and meat products. Boa Vista and Macapá showed an increase in the percentage difference in the consumption ≥5 of ultra-processed subgroups, being 30.4% (p = 0.014) and 53.7% (p = 0.014), respectively. Conclusions: The study indicated an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the Brazilian Amazon region during and after social distancing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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10 pages, 650 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stress and the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods during COVID-19’s Social Distancing: Are Mental Disorders Mediators in This Association? ELSA-Brasil Results

by Raphaela Kistenmacker Pires, Rosane Harter Griep, Patricia de Oliveira da Silva Scaranni, Arlinda B. Moreno, Maria del Carmen B. Molina, Vivian C. Luft, Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca and Leticia de Oliveira Cardoso

Nutrients 2024, 16(13), 2097; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132097 - 30 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1440

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated various determinants of mental disorders. Several behavioral changes were observed given this increase, including harmful health consequences, such as excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). To assess this relationship, we investigated the meditational role of symptoms of mental disorders (anxiety and depression) in the association between stress resulting from social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic and the consumption of UPFs in 3884 Brazilian public employees in a supplementary study of the ELSA-Brasil study. Structural equation models (SEMs) were estimated to assess the direct and indirect effects mediated by symptoms of mental disorders. The results suggested a significant and positive mediational effect of the symptoms of mental disorders on the association between the stress resulting from social distancing and the consumption of UPFs. These findings contribute to informing the need for policies and early interventions in potentially stressful situations, with a focus on the promotion of mental health, and may thus help prevent or reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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18 pages, 302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumption of Meats and Fish in Poland during the COVID-19 Lockdown Period

by Dominika Szajnoga, Helena Perenc, Grzegorz K. Jakubiak, Grzegorz Cieślar and Małgorzata Ćwieląg-Drabek

Nutrients 2024, 16(9), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091318 - 27 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1542

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have significantly impacted the quality of life of society in many countries in various aspects. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the consumption of meat and fish in society in Poland as well as the factors that determined these changes. The cross-sectional study was conducted using an original online questionnaire between 8th and 18th of April 2020. The subjects were selected randomly. The target population were adults living in Poland. The inclusion criterion for the study was the age of at least 18 years and consent to selfless participation in the study. Communication via social media such as Facebook or Instagram was used to enroll more participants from different socio-demographic subgroups. The questionnaire was divided into two parts—the first part contained questions about sex, age, body mass, body height, residence, level of education, and occupation, and the second part consisted of specific questions about the consumption frequency of different kinds of meat during the COVID-19 lockdown period (in comparison to the time before the pandemic). A total of 3888 people took part in the study including 84.54% women, with an average age of 30.17 ± 9.22 years. The frequency of poultry consumption increased, while for pork, beef, ham and other meat products as well as fish and seafood it declined. The factors that influenced the change in dietary patterns during the lockdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic included age, body mass index, gender, place of residence, and type of work performed. However, no relationship was found between the change in meat and fish consumption during the pandemic and the level of education and form of employment during the pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

16 pages, 2969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

COVID-19 Lockdown and Changes in Dietary and Lifestyle Behaviors in a French Longitudinal Cohort

by Antoine de Reviers, Agnès Helme-Guizon, Christophe Moinard and Catherine Féart

Nutrients 2023, 15(21), 4682; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214682 - 4 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1643

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed local lockdowns resulting in strong disruptions in our lifestyles and dietary behaviors. This study aimed to determine how the lockdown in France affected these behaviors and weight during the lockdown and in a one month follow up period of time after the end of the lockdown. Methods: The study design was a longitudinal cohort, among French adults. A total of 593 participants (68.6% female), with a mean age of 42.2 years (SD = 15.2) completed a self-reported questionnaire on four occasions spaced one month apart, from the beginning of the lockdown starting 17 March 2020, until one month after its end (mid-June 2020). Clusters of participants were formed using the non-supervised k-means algorithm. Results: The mean weight gain after one month of lockdown was 0.56 kg (SD = 0.6). The cluster analysis exposed three different patterns of behavioral changes, despite no significant differences in age or BMI between clusters. These three groups have experienced different weight change dynamics over the follow-up duration. The first cluster (n = 210) reported fewer changes in sleep quality and quantity and less change in snacking frequency (p ≤ 0.001). The second cluster (n = 200) reported significantly lower levels of stress than the other clusters (p ≤ 0.001). The third cluster (n = 183) differed from the others, with a more degraded quality of sleep reported throughout the lockdown (p ≤ 0.01). However, changes in eating behaviors and body weight were not significant. Conclusions: During the lockdown, behavioral changes occurred, both health-favorable and non-health-favorable, yet they had a minor impact on eating behaviors and reported body weight once the restrictive measures were lifted. The identification of three patterns suggests that, in such constraining situations, personalized recommendations should be provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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14 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Emotional Eating Scale Adapted for Children and Adolescents (EES-C) Results in Girls: Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

by Dominika Skolmowska, Dominika Głąbska and Dominika Guzek

Nutrients 2023, 15(19), 4197; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194197 - 28 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1106

Abstract

Stress related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused substantial changes in eating behaviors, and may have been associated with emotional eating, especially in female individuals. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between stress perceived during the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional eating in girls, within the third phase of the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. A nationwide sample of 818 Polish female adolescents, aged 15–20, was gathered. The adolescents were recruited to the study based on a random quota sampling procedure. Using a computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) survey, participants filled out the Emotional Eating Scale Adapted for Children and Adolescents (EES-C) to assess the urge to cope with negative emotions by eating, and the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess perceived stress. Additionally, the data concerning body mass, height, as well as body mass change during the COVID-19 pandemic were verified. The groups most susceptible to emotional eating were excessive body mass female adolescents, those who gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic and those experiencing high stress levels while facing negative emotions. In order to plan effective therapeutic interventions dealing with the issue of emotional eating, both psychological therapy and dietary strategy tailored to the individual should be considered for the indicated susceptible groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

20 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Mediterranean Diet Adherence with Sociodemographic, Anthropometric, and Lifestyle Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

by Eleni Pavlidou, Sousana K. Papadopoulou, Maria Mentzelou, Antonios Dakanalis, Theofanis Vorvolakos, Georgios Antasouras, Maria Spanoudaki, Aimilia-Lynn Pandi, Aspasia Serdari, Maria Chrysafi, Sofia Dimoliani and Constantinos Giaginis

Nutrients 2023, 15(19), 4123; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194123 - 24 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1526

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected several aspects of people’s lifestyle worldwide. Healthy dietary patterns and their bioactive components may improve or even co-treat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspects of people’s lifestyle and mental health in daily life. The aim of this survey is to evaluate the potential effect of Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence against COVID-19-induced complications. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey performed on 3721 adults aged between 18 and 65 years old, which aims to evaluate the potential association of MD adherence with multiple sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Results: This study has supported evidence that elevated MD compliance was independently related to female gender, better economic status, no smoking, increased risk of abdominal obesity, higher physical activity levels, greater prevalence of adequate sleep quality, better quality of life, and reduced probability of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic by adjusting for multiple confounders. Conclusions: MD compliance may improve or even co-treat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspect of people’s lifestyle in daily life. Further research is strongly recommended exploring the possible beneficial effects of the MD against COVID-19 lifestyle complications in daily life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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15 pages, 510 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Determinants of Food Preferences in a Polish Population-Based Sample of Primary School Adolescents: Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study

by Aleksandra Kołota and Dominika Głąbska

Nutrients 2023, 15(11), 2504; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112504 - 28 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2183

Abstract

For the choices of food products, food preferences are crucial, as they influence the intake of nutrients and the resultant quality of diet, but in Poland, no studies of food preferences were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic on a population of young adolescents. The aim of this study was to analyze the determinants of food preferences in a Polish population-based sample of primary school adolescents as part of the Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study. The DAY-19 Study focused on a national sample of a population of primary school adolescents who were recruited based on cluster sampling of participants from counties and schools, yielding a sample of 5039 individuals. Their food preferences were assessed using the Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ), and they were compared in subgroups stratified by (1) gender: male and female; (2) age: younger (10–13 years) and older (14–16 years); (3) place of residence: urban and rural; (4) Body Mass Index (BMI): underweight, normal body weight, and overweight/obese (assessed based on Polish growth reference values); and (5) physical activity level: low and moderate (assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for children aged 10–13 (IPAQ-C) and adolescents aged 14–16 (IPAQ-A)). In the population of adolescents, no statistically significant differences in food preferences between subgroups stratified by gender were observed (p > 0.05). For boys, none of the studied factors (age, place of residence, BMI, physical activity level) was statistically significant determinant of food preferences (p < 0.05), while for girls, all of them were statistically significant determinants (p > 0.05). All the assessed factors (age, place of residence, BMI, physical activity level) in girls were associated with preferences for snacks, and older girls, those from a rural environment, those who were underweight and overweight/obese, as well as those having a low physical activity level declared a higher preference for snacks than younger ones (p = 0.0429), those from an urban environment (p = 0.0484), those of a normal body weight (p = 0.0091), and those having a moderate physical activity level (p = 0.0083). Similarly, girls from rural environments declared a higher preference for starches than those from urban environments (p = 0.0103), and girls having a low physical activity level declared a higher preference for fruit than those having a moderate physical activity level (p = 0.0376). Taking this into account, the population of girls, in particular, needs dedicated educational actions to support proper nutritional habits. Additionally, older age, living in a rural environment, being underweight and overweight/obese, and having a low physical activity level may be indicated as factors predisposing one to food preferences potentially promoting unhealthy dietary habits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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15 pages, 751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Retrospective Chart Review Evaluating Changes in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels among Patients Attending the University Healthcare Centre during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tarek Benameur, Feroze Kaliyadan, Neji Saidi and Chiara Porro

Nutrients 2023, 15(10), 2345; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15102345 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1759

Abstract

COVID-19-pandemic-related home confinement aids in limiting the spread of the virus but restricts exposure to sunlight, thereby possibly affecting 25(OH)D concentrations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of lockdown measures on 25(OH)D levels in outpatients visiting the healthcare centre over a period of two years. In this retrospective chart review, outpatients who visited a university healthcare centre for a health check-up over a period of two years were included. The patients’ 25(OH)D serum levels and status were compared before, during, and after the lockdown periods. A total of 7234 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 34.66 ± 16.78. The overall prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency, deficiency and sufficiency was 33.8%, 30.7% and 35.4%, respectively. The proportion of individuals with 25-(OH) D deficiency prior to lockdown was 29% and this proportion increased in the lockdown and post-lockdown periods to 31.1% and 32%, respectively. Although gender was less likely to have an impact on the 25 (OH) D level during the lockdown period (p = 0.630), we found an association between gender and 25 (OH) D status in the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Another association between nationality and 25 (OH)D levels was found before, during and after the lockdown periods (p < 0.001). In addition, the youngest population, aged between 1 and 14, was strongly affected by the home confinement. Age had a positive and significant (p < 0.05) effect on 25 (OH) D status regardless of the different periods. Moreover, in the pre-lockdown period, male outpatients had 1.56 chance of having a sufficient level of 25 (OH)D. However, during the lockdown period, this chance decreased to 0.85 and then increased to 0.99 after the lockdown period. We found no statistically significant difference in the mean serum concentrations or in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency when we compared values from before, during and immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown period. However, there was a generally increased prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in our study population. Another association between gender, nationality and age groups with 25(OH) D was found. Regular exposure to UVR is recommended for maintaining adequate vitamin D levels and to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Further research is needed to determine the best indications for vitamin D supplementation if confinement periods are extended and to consider the potential health consequences of prolonged confinement periods not only on vitamin D status but also on overall public health. The findings of this study may be considered by stakeholders for a targeted supplementation approach for risk groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Habits and Nutritional Aspects during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

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