Lifestyle changes and perceived restrictions in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic : Analysis of the 2020 Community Health Survey data

Abstract

This study aims to examine the extent of lifestyle behavior changes, perceived restrictions in daily life, and their relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the 2020 Community Health Survey data, this study calculated perceived restrictions in daily life among adults in Korea during the pandemic by sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle behavior category (physical activity, sleeping duration, drinking, smoking, social contact, public transport use, food delivery, instant food consumption). The generalized linear model examined the relationship between behavior change and perceived restriction on daily life. A total of 227,808 respondents were analyzed. 56.70% of the population perceived their daily lives restricted by 50% and more during the pandemic. The majority of the population decreased physical activity, social contact, and public transport use (52.71%, 89.70%, and 63.74%, respectively). Individuals who decreased physical activity, sleep duration, and social contact frequency, and those who increased drinking frequency, food delivery, and instant food consumption perceived greater restrictions in daily life than those who did not change respective behaviors (p<0.001). In conclusion, decreases in social contact and physical activity and increases in use of food delivery and instant food consumption were associated with greater perceived restrictions of daily life during the pandemic. Efforts to alleviate the negative impact of the pandemic on psychological well-being may need to involve attempts to improve healthy life behaviors.