Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on eating and physical activity behavior, in a university population. A healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD) pattern, rich in fruit and vegetables, can prevent degenerative diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. We conducted a cross-sectional study and data were collected by an anonymous online questionnaire. Participants completed a survey consisting of 3 sections: sociodemographic data; dietary behavior and physical activity; the Mediterranean Diet questionnaire (MEDAS-14) and the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). A total of 168 participants completed the questionnaire: 66.7% were women, 79.2% were from Spain, 76.8% were students, 76.2% lived in their family home and 66.1% were of normal weight. During lockdown our population shopped for groceries 1 time or less per week (76.8%); maintained the same consumption of fruits (45.2%), vegetables (50.6%), dairy products (61.9%), pulses (64.9%), fish/seafood (57.7%), white meat (77.4%), red and processed meat (71.4%), pastries and snacks (48.2%), rice/pasta/potatoes (70.2%) and nuts (62.5%), spirits (98.8%) and sugary drinks (91.7%). Cooking time increased (73.2%) and the consumption decreased of low alcohol drinks (60.1%), spirits (75%) and sugary drinks (57.1%), and physical activity also diminished (49.4%). University Employees (UE) gained more weight (1.01 ± 0.02) than students (0.99 ± 0.03) (p < 0.05) during the confinement period. A total of 79.8% of the participants obtained a Medium/High Adherence to the MD during lockdown. Emotional and very emotional eaters were higher in the female group (p < 0.01). In the event of further confinement, strategies should be implemented to promote a balanced and healthy diet together with the practice of physical activity, taking special care of the female and UE groups.
Highlights
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.At the end of 2019, a new highly infectious and pathogenic strain of RNA viruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family emerged in Wuhan, China [1]
We aimed to evaluate whether the quarantine associated with the COVID-19 pandemic situation has influenced or modified the dietary habits and emotional eating behavior and physical activity practices of a population comprising staff and students belonging to the Universidad Europea del Atlántico
We can affirm that under the lockdown caused by COVID-19, the UNEAT community decreased or maintained the same dietary and lifestyle habits; students increased the intake of fruits and vegetables and physical activity compared with University Employees (UE), whereas UE, during lockdown, increased the intake of low alcohol drinks
Summary
At the end of 2019, a new highly infectious and pathogenic strain of RNA viruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family emerged in Wuhan, China [1]. 20190 (COVID-19) showed high mortality rates and a rapid human-to-human worldwide spread that switched into a global health emergency a few months after its outbreak, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a pandemic in March 2020 [2]. Every country in the world confirming COVID-19-positive cases established strict preventive published maps and institutional affil-.
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