Abstract
To limit the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many individuals were instructed to stay at home, and teleworking became commonplace. Meanwhile, many others were laid off or worked reduced hours, and some front line workers were required to work longer hours. Concurrently, a surge in reports of “pandemic baking” suggested a cascade effect on eating behaviors, which may be an inadvertent strategy to cope with stress. We conducted an online survey of people living in Canada or the United States (N = 680) to assess how employment change may have been experienced as stressful and linked to a shift in food choices. Regression models suggested that reduced hours and being laid off were associated with greater stress appraisals, avoidant- and emotion-focused coping responses, and negative affect. In turn, negative affect was associated with eating to cope and unhealthy snack choices, like salty or sweet treats. Our study emphasizes that under stressful conditions, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, some coping strategies may contribute to the greater vulnerability to downstream effects, particularly those relating to eating choices and nutritional balances.
Highlights
In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), countries around the world implemented public health measures, including physical distancing requirements to prevent close contact between people
We found that high Body Mass Index (BMI) was related to lower whole food snacking, but BMI did not mediate the relationships between stress and coping or mood and snacking behaviors
We showed that distress from employment change was associated with altered mood and unhealthy eating, for carbohydrate-rich foods
Summary
In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), countries around the world implemented public health measures, including physical distancing requirements to prevent close contact between people These measures resulted in various home confinement directives comprising stay-at-home orders, isolation requirements, lockdowns that prohibit normal daily activities, such as going to school or work, visiting gyms or restaurants, or large social gatherings. In addition to coping with the immediate health threat of COVID-19, individuals coped with abrupt lifestyle adjustments as a result of employment change, often leading to economic hardships, as well as home isolation [3]. The combination of lifestyle and psychosocial stressors can be detrimental for body weight management, which can influence metabolic syndrome and overall physical health [12]
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