Abstract
BackgroundCOVID 19-related quarantine led to a sudden and radical lifestyle changes, in particular in eating habits. Objectives of the study were to investigate the effect of quarantine on sleep quality (SQ) and body mass index (BMI), and if change in SQ was related to working modalities.MaterialsWe enrolled 121 adults (age 44.9 ± 13.3 years and 35.5% males). Anthropometric parameters, working modalities and physical activity were studied. Sleep quality was evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. At baseline, the enrolled subjects were assessed in outpatient clinic and after 40 days of quarantine/lockdown by phone interview.ResultsOverall, 49.6% of the subjects were good sleepers (PSQI < 5) at the baseline and significantly decreased after quarantine (p < 0.001). In detail, sleep onset latency (p < 0.001), sleep efficiency (p = 0.03), sleep disturbances (p < 0.001), and daytime dysfunction (p < 0.001) significantly worsened. There was also a significant increase in BMI values in normal weight (p = 0.023), in subjects grade I (p = 0.027) and II obesity (p = 0.020). In all cohort, physical activity was significantly decreased (p = 0.004). However, analyzing the data according gender difference, males significantly decreased physical activity as well as females in which there was only a trend without reaching statistical significance (53.5% vs 25.6%; p = 0.015 and 50.0% vs 35.9%, p = 0.106; in males and females, respectively). In addition, smart working activity resulted in a significant worsening of SQ, particularly in males (p < 0.001).ConclusionsQuarantine was associated to a worsening of SQ, particularly in males doing smart working, and to an increase in BMI values.
Highlights
COVID 19-related quarantine led to a sudden and radical lifestyle changes, in particular in eating habits
Quarantine was associated to a worsening of sleep quality (SQ), in males doing smart working, and to an increase in body mass index (BMI) values
The second objective of the study was to investigate if change in sleep quality after quarantine was related to working modalities
Summary
COVID 19-related quarantine led to a sudden and radical lifestyle changes, in particular in eating habits. Carbohydrate-rich foods can be a way of self-medicating anti stress and the positive effect of carbohydrates on mood is proportional to the glycemic index of foods For this reason they could represent the best allies to fight quarantine-related low mood giving rise to the so called ‘emotional eating’ [9,10,11]. This condition is further exacerbated by the disruption in everyday life that along with continuously hearing or reading about the pandemic, could have led to a stressful condition pushing people toward overeating and increasing the risk of developing obesity
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