Abstract
The introduction of lockdowns and other containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic substantially altered people’s lifestyle and dietary behavior. Several studies evaluated the short-term effects of these measures; yet reports on long-term consequences are scarce. We sought to address this gap in the literature by analyzing dietary and lifestyle data collected at an obesity center in Rome, Italy. The Italian region of Lazio was hit hard by the pandemic. To evaluate the potential health impacts, we compared the pre- and post-lockdown data of 118 individuals. Contrary to the common belief that lockdown had adverse effects solely on people’s dietary habits, we observed a significantly increased consumption of raw vegetables, whole grains, and water in our study sample. Favorable effects, however, were also accompanied by adverse trends, such as a higher prevalence of sleeping difficulties. Our data emphasize that the lockdowns associated with the pandemic also influenced participants’ social behavior, with less individuals reporting eating out or in company. Our study highlights the substantial impact of lockdowns on many dimensions of life. As such, it is of utmost importance in the critical evaluation of such stringent containment measures.
Highlights
Accepted: 15 December 2021The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial changes in people’s eating and lifestyle behaviors
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of lockdown periods on eating habits and health risk factors through the use of a questionnaire that was administered before and after the lockdown periods
We considered for this study only two parameters that were measured during the visit: fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM)
Summary
Accepted: 15 December 2021The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial changes in people’s eating and lifestyle behaviors. Several studies evaluated the short-term effects of lockdown on nutritional habits, emphasizing both positive and negative changes [1,2]. The Italian region of Lazio experienced a tight lockdown phase (between 9 March and 3 May 2020), with a subsequent tightening of containment measures (between 4 May and 14 June 2020). Thereafter, from 15 March 2021 until June 2021, the Italian government again imposed several other strict lockdown periods. The most severe lockdown period was characterized by the suspension of common commercial activities, catering services, religious celebrations, and the banning of people gathering in public places. Some studies have shown favorable changes in individuals’ eating habits, with an increase in the number of meals prepared and consumed at home [3,4,5].
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