Predictors of Weight Gain among Undergraduate Students during the COVID-19 Quarantine

Abstract

Objectives: The quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic has induced stress among university students. Lifestyle changes during this quarantine period have contributed to changes in eating habits. Thus, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting weight status during the COVID-19 quarantine period among undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
 Methods: 114 subjects were recruited in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Sections of the questionnaire were sociodemographic information, anthropometry measurements, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and Binge Eating Scale (BES). Subjects were required to recall this information during the pre-quarantine period in February 2020 and the post-quarantine period in July 2020.
 Results: 52.6% of the students had weight gain. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 15.8% and 4.4% before the quarantine to 17.5% and 6.1%, respectively, after the quarantine. Extreme levels of stress, anxiety, and depression were reported by 0.9%, 19.3%, and 8.8% of the respondents. Regression analysis revealed that binge eating score was the only significant predictor of weight status before and after the quarantine period.
 Conclusion: Altered eating behaviour during the COVID-19 quarantine contributed to weight changes among university students in Malaysia. Factors influencing eating habits must be identified to reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity among university students, especially during the pandemic.