Effects of home quarantine during COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity and dietary habits of adults in Saudi Arabia

AbstractPublic health endorsements during the present COVID-19 pandemic has led the governments of largely affected countries to imply policies that restrict social mobility to slow COVID-19 spread. The study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 home quarantine on lifestyle and health behavior of Saudi residents. An online survey in Saudi Arabia was launched from May 11 to June 6, 2020. The survey was designed by multidisciplinary scientists and academics uploaded and shared through the Google platform in Arabic and English languages. Questions presented related to responses “before” and “during” COVID-19 home quarantine. A total of 1965 respondents participated and were included in the analysis [921 (47.0%) males and 1044 (53.0%) females]. Non-Saudis were more likely to increase their physical activity during quarantine [odds ratio (95% confidence interval 1.41 (1.11–1.79); p < 0.005]. Prevalence of participants walking daily for more than 4 times per week significantly decreased during pandemic (before vs during, 30.5% vs 29.1%) which was in parallel to the significant increase in the prevalence of participants who did not perform daily walking during the quarantine (21% vs 22.9%; p < 0.001). The prevalence of participants who often consume snacks between meals increased during quarantine (27.4% vs 29.4%, p < 0.001), while the prevalence of participants who never consumed fresh fruits and vegetables significantly increased during home quarantine (2.4% vs 3.7%; p = 0.019). The lockdown imposed in Saudi Arabia modestly but significantly impacted physical activity and dietary behaviors of several citizens and residents in an unhealthy way. Interventions to alleviate these acute adverse lifestyle behaviors during pandemic should be formulated.

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Lifestyle behaviors trend and their relationship with fear level of COVID-19: Cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257904 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. e0257904

Author(s):

Shaima A. Alothman ◽

Abdullah F. Alghannam ◽

Alaa A. Almasud ◽

Arwa S. Altalhi ◽

Hazzaa M. Al-Hazzaa

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Support ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Online Survey ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Distress Scale

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic cautionary measures have affected the daily life of people around the globe. Further, understanding the complete lifestyle behaviors profile can help healthcare providers in designing effective interventions and assessing overall health impact on risk of disease development. Thus, this study aims to assess the complete spectrum of lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, distress, social support, dietary habits, and smoking) prevalence and its association with fear of COVID-19 in people living in Saudi Arabia. Methods Self-administered survey consisted of seven sections was used to collect data on fear of COVID-19 using Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), physical activity and sedentary behavior using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), psychosocial distress using Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), social support using the MOS social support survey, and dietary habits using a short version of food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The online survey was distributed via social media platforms during lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic (May–June 2020). Each section consisted of validated questionnaire examining one of aforementioned lifestyle behaviors. Associations were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results A total of 669 individuals attempted to complete the online survey, 554 participants completed at least 2 sections of the survey (82.8%), and 41.3% (n = 276) completed the whole online survey. The majority of the sample were female (83%), not smokers (86.5%), had sufficient sleep duration (7.5 hrs ± 2.1), and only indicated mild level of distress (21.4 ± 8.9); they also reported high level of sedentary behavior (7.7 hrs ± 4.5), poor sleep quality (5.4 ± 2.4), were not engaged in healthy eating habits, and moderate level of perceived social support (62.0% ± 27). Only physical activity results indicated that about half of the sample were engaged in moderate to vigorous level of physical activity (54.3%). Further, being female (β = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.45, 2.94) and married (β = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.3, 2.63) were associated with fear of COVID-19 level (β = 0.21; 95% IC: 0.05, 0.19) with a confidence interval level of 95%. In addition, distress was associated with fear. Conclusion The trend of lifestyle behaviors measured during lockdown period changed from previously published rates. Future research needs to establish the short-term and long-term effect of lifestyle behaviors complete profile on physical and mental health.

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Lifestyle Changes and Determinants of Children’s and Adolescents’ Body Weight Increase during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Greece: The COV-EAT Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030930 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 930

Author(s):

Odysseas Androutsos ◽

Maria Perperidi ◽

Christos Georgiou ◽

Giorgos Chouliaras

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Weight ◽

Fast Food ◽

Online Survey ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

The Body ◽

Weight Increase ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Lifestyle Habits ◽

Body Weight Increase

Previous studies showed that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown imposed changes in adults’ lifestyle behaviors; however, there is limited information regarding the effects on youth. The COV-EAT study aimed to report changes in children’s and adolescents’ lifestyle habits during the first COVID-19 lockdown and explore potential associations between changes of participants’ lifestyle behaviors and body weight. An online survey among 397 children/adolescents and their parents across 63 municipalities in Greece was conducted in April–May 2020. Parents self-reported changes of their children’s lifestyle habits and body weight, as well as sociodemographic data of their family. The present study shows that during the lockdown, children’s/adolescents’ sleep duration and screen time increased, while their physical activity decreased. Their consumption of fruits and fresh fruit juices, vegetables, dairy products, pasta, sweets, total snacks, and breakfast increased, while fast-food consumption decreased. Body weight increased in 35% of children/adolescents. A multiple regression analysis showed that the body weight increase was associated with increased consumption of breakfast, salty snacks, and total snacks and with decreased physical activity. The COV-EAT study revealed changes in children’s and adolescents’ lifestyle behaviors during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. Effective strategies are needed to prevent excessive body weight gain in future COVID-19 lockdowns.

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Individual-Level Determinants of Lifestyle Behavioral Changes during COVID-19 Lockdown in the United States: Results of an Online Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084364 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4364

Author(s):

Xiaotao Zhang ◽

Abiodun Oluyomi ◽

LeChauncy Woodard ◽

Syed Ahsan Raza ◽

Maral Adel Fahmideh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

The United States ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Individual Level ◽

Diet And Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors

This study examined individual-level determinants of self-reported changes in healthy (diet and physical activity) and addictive (alcohol use, smoking, and vaping) lifestyle behaviors during the initial COVID-19 lockdown period in the USA. A national online survey was administered between May and June 2020 that targeted a representative U.S. sample and yielded data from 1276 respondents, including 58% male and 50% racial/ethnic minorities. We used univariate and multivariable linear regression models to examine the associations of sociodemographic, mental health, and behavioral determinants with self-reported changes in lifestyle behaviors. Some study participants reported increases in healthy lifestyle behaviors since the pandemic (i.e., 36% increased healthy eating behaviors, and 33% increased physical activity). However, they also reported increases in addictive lifestyle behaviors including alcohol use (40%), tobacco use (41%), and vaping (46%). With regard to individual-level determinants, individuals who reported adhering to social distancing guidelines were also more likely to report increases in healthy lifestyle behaviors (β = 0.12, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.21). Conversely, women (β = −0.37, 95% CI −0.62 to −0.12), and unemployed individuals (β = −0.33, 95% CI −0.64 to −0.02) were less likely to report increases in healthy lifestyle behaviors. In addition, individuals reporting anxiety were more likely to report increases in addictive behaviors (β = 0.26, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.43). Taken together, these findings suggest that women and unemployed individuals may benefit from interventions targeting diet and physical activity, and that individuals reporting anxiety may benefit from interventions targeting smoking and alcohol cessation to address lifestyle changes during the pandemic.

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Social movement involvement and healthy diet and activity behaviors among US adults

Health Promotion International ◽

10.1093/heapro/day009 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 490-500 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth A Emley ◽

Dara R Musher-Eizenman

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Social Movement ◽

Online Survey ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽

Two Samples ◽

College Population ◽

Intrinsic Motivators

Summary Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, namely poor diet and inadequate physical activity, significantly contribute to poor health and obesity risk, which in turn impact chronic illness outcomes. A possible approach to improving these health behaviors and subsequent outcomes is to capitalize on the theorized link between social movement involvement and overlapping health behaviors. Social movement involvement may be a viable stealth intervention for health, utilizing intrinsic motivators to improve health without an explicit focus on changing health behavior. Thus, the current study explored the links between social movement involvement and diet and physical activity. Two samples from a college population (N = 196) and the general population (N = 195) participated in an online survey, which included measures of social movement involvement, social movement-related health behaviors and dietary intake and physical activity. After controlling for known covariates, social movement-related health behaviors mediated the relationship between level of social movement involvement and fruit and vegetable consumption, whole grain intake and average daily physical activity in both samples. These findings suggest that health behaviors associated with social movement involvement may be an important mechanism in promoting health among social movement members and that the model holds across adult populations. This research adds to existing literature on stealth interventions as a viable means of improving important behavioral health components linked with obesity and chronic disease and supports social movement involvement as a potential form of stealth intervention.

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Behavioral and Psychosocial Characteristics Among Head Start Childcare Providers

The Journal of School Nursing ◽

10.1177/1059840517725791 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 435-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jiying Ling

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Head Start ◽

Stress Management ◽

Technology Use ◽

Online Survey ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Management Program ◽

Psychosocial Characteristics ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Childcare Providers

The aim of the study was twofold: (a) describe behavioral and psychosocial characteristics of Head Start childcare providers including technology use, physical activity, nutrition, depression, and quality of life and (b) examine associations among these characteristics. Using a cross-sectional design, a nonrandom sample of 80 Head Start childcare providers completed an online survey via SurveyMonkey. About 80.1% were overweight or obese. Nearly all had a computer or smartphone. About 55% met the national physical activity recommendation of 150 min/week. Approximately 56.2% did not know the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and 26.3% had ≥3 servings of vegetables per day. About 38.8% had major depression or dysthymia, and 31.3% had depressive symptoms. The top two perceived health needs were weight loss and stress management. Providing a health promotion and stress management program to childcare providers may benefit both providers and children, considering the strong influence of teachers on children.

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Association of dietary habits with levels of physical activity and screen time among adolescents living in Saudi Arabia

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1111/jhn.12147 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

pp. 204-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

H. M. Al-Hazzaa ◽

H. I. Al-Sobayel ◽

N. A. Abahussain ◽

D. M. Qahwaji ◽

M. A. Alahmadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Screen Time ◽

Dietary Habits

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Diet and Lifestyle Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ibero-American Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Spain

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.671004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Oscar G. Enriquez-Martinez ◽

Marcia C. T. Martins ◽

Taisa S. S. Pereira ◽

Sandaly O. S. Pacheco ◽

Fabio J. Pacheco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Online Survey ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Sleep Time ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Eating Pattern ◽

Diet And Lifestyle

This study aimed to evaluate changes in dietary and lifestyle habits during the period of confinement due to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ibero-American countries. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted with 6,325 participants of both genders (68% women), over 18 years of age and from five countries: Brazil (N = 2,171), Argentina (N = 1,111), Peru (N = 1,174), Mexico (N = 686), and Spain (N = 1,183). Data were collected during the year 2020, between April 01 and June 30 in Spain and between July 13 and September 26, in the other countries studied using a self-administered online survey designed for the assessment of sociodemographic, employment, physical activity, health status, and dietary habits changes. Most participants (61.6%), mainly those from Spain, remained constant, without improving or worsening their pattern of food consumption. Among those who changed, a pattern of better eating choices prevailed (22.7%) in comparison with those who changed toward less healthy choices (15.7%). Argentina and Brazil showed the highest proportion of changes toward a healthier pattern of food consumption. Peruvians and Mexicans were less likely to make healthy changes in food consumption (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.4–0.6 and OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.4–0.8, respectively), when compared to Argentinians. Most respondents did not change their pattern of meal consumption, but those who did reduced their consumption of main meals and increased intake of small meals and snacks. Although most participants affirmed to be doing physical activity at home, about one-half reported perception of weight gain. Individuals with alterations in sleep pattern (either by increasing or decreasing sleep time) were more likely to change their diets to a healthier pattern. In contrast, individuals with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and those who reported feeling anxious were more likely to perform changes to a less healthy eating pattern (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.2–2.3 and OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.1–1.4, respectively). In conclusion, although most participants remained constant in their eating habits, lifestyle changes and anxiety feelings were reported. Among those who changed patterns of food consumption, healthier choices prevailed, with differences between countries. However, there were alterations in the distribution of meals, with higher consumption of snacks and small meals. These results can be used to guide policies to prevent deleterious consequences that may affect the incidence of chronic diseases.

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Assessment of Dietary Habits and Physical Activity Changes during the Full COVID-19 Curfew Period and Its Effect on Weight among Adults in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168580 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8580

Author(s):

Nisreen M. Abdulsalam ◽

Najla A. Khateeb ◽

Sarah S. Aljerbi ◽

Waad M. Alqumayzi ◽

Shaima S. Balubaid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Weight Status ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Public Awareness ◽

World Health ◽

Age Group ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Significant Difference

The World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020. Global efforts have been made to prevent the disease from spreading through political decisions and personal behaviors, all of which rely on public awareness. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of dietary habits on weight and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was distributed using social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp) and email communication. A total of 472 adults (age range, 18–59 years), over half of the study population (68.0%) being females, 55.5% being between 19 and 29 years old, 15.0%—between 30 and 39 years old, and 11.2%—older than 50 years old, participated in the study. Our results indicated that the overall body weight was slightly increased among the 50+ age group (47.2%, p > 0.05), but it highly increased among the 30–39-years-old age group (32.4%, p > 0.05) as compared to before the pandemic lockdown period. Therefore, our results show that a significant difference (p < 0.05) was found for all the assessments: weight status, physical activity patterns, hours spent on screen time, homemade meals, and changes in dietary habits before and during the full COVID-19 curfew period. This study demonstrated that changes in eating habits were commonly reported among the participants who represented the full COVID-19 curfew period and that changes in eating habits and decreased physical activity led to weight gain.

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Obesity, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Dietary Habits of Saudi Adolescents Living in Riyadh (ATLS-2 Project): Revisited after a Ten-Year Period

Life ◽

10.3390/life11101078 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1078

Author(s):

Hazzaa M. Al-Hazzaa ◽

Nada M. Albawardi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Moderate Intensity Physical Activity ◽

The Past ◽

Intensity Physical Activity ◽

Cross Sectional Studies

Objective: Undesirable lifestyle behaviors are associated with many adverse health outcomes. This study revisited the lifestyle behaviors, dietary habits, and overweight/obesity status of Saudi adolescents from Riyadh during the year 2019/2020. We report on the rationale, design, and methodology of the current study and provide preliminary findings of the changes that occurred between the two cross-sectional studies within the span of a ten-year period. Methods: A comparison was made between two cross-sectional studies, one conducted in 2009/2010 and the other in 2019/2020, using the same design, methods, and instruments. A multistage stratified cluster random sampling technique was used to select adolescents attending public and private secondary schools. Measurements included demographics, weight, height, waist circumference, physical activity (using valid questionnaire and accelerometer), sedentary time, sleep duration, and dietary habits. Results: The total number of participants was 1262 adolescents, of which 52.4% were male, with a mean (SD) age of 16.4 ± 0.95 years. About 41% of paternal and 39.1% of maternal education levels were university degrees. Over 37% of the families earned more than SAR 20,000/month. Body mass index and waist circumference of males was larger than that of females and the overall prevalence of overweight/obesity was 40.5% with significance (p < 0.001) difference between males (47.3%) and females (32.8%). Between 2009/2010 and 2019/2020 datasets, there were significant changes in age (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p < 0.001), screen time (p < 0.001), moderate-intensity physical activity (p < 0.001), vigorous-intensity physical activity (p < 0.001), total physical activity (p < 0.001), and consumption of breakfast (p = 0.015) and fruits (p = 0.002). Conclusion: The most notable change between the two studies was a significant reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity among Saudi adolescents, which was due to increased levels of moderate-intensity physical activity among Saudi females, as a result of recent positive sociopolitical changes occurring in the country over the past four years. The findings provided rich information that can be used to explore trends in overweight/obesity, lifestyle behaviors, and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents over the past ten-year period.

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The Relationship Between Electronic Gaming and Health, Social Relationships, and Physical Activity Among Males in Saudi Arabia

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988319873512 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 155798831987351 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Abdullah Ghurm Alshehri ◽

Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Salam Mohamed

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Computer Games ◽

Online Survey ◽

Personality Development ◽

Influential Factor ◽

Male Students ◽

Electronic Games ◽

The Relationship

Physical and psychological effects of playing computer games cannot be ignored. Electronic games are considered to be an influential factor in growth, personality development, and positive sociability of children, and game duration has been associated with increased aggression, reduced mental health, and higher BMI. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between electronic gaming and health, social relationships, and physical activity among males aged 16–18 years in Saudi Arabia. An online survey designed by the authors containing 60 items and divided into 5 sections was used during one school semester. The sample was selected randomly from 30 high schools; 90 students were selected from each school, with 30 chosen from each of grades 9, 10, and 11. Respondents were 194 male students, aged 17.23 ± 1.52 years. The questionnaire was presented to six experts to assess validity, with Cronbach’s α established at 0.87. Results showed that playing electronic games had a negative relation with health, social relationships, and physical activity among males. The most negative significant was the correlation between electronic games and physical activity ( r = −.49), followed by that with social relationships ( r = −.42) and BMI ( r = −.31) . The lowest result was for health ( r = .20). More empirical investigations are needed to explore deeper effects of electronic gaming on various groups in Saudi society, including the general population, employees, and different categories of school and university students.

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