Eating behavior and physical activity of senior citizens during the COVID-19 lockdown

A new coronavirus has arisen, causing a pandemic of serious respiratory syndrome in humans. The COVID-19 pandemic has a major effect on human health, resulting in abrupt lifestyle changes, social distances and loneliness at home. The goal of this study was to examine the immediate effect of the pandemic on eating behavior and physical activity among the elderly population aged 60 years and older. Data on the features of the senior citizens' profile, eating habits and physical activity during the lock-up were evaluated and analyzed in this report. In addition, the correlation, key and interaction effects of some of the essential variables in the analysis were also evaluated. The findings of the study revealed a need to promote eating habits that may help to minimize the health inequalities created by eating disorders. Moreover, the synergies between the various determinants of eating habits were found to be deficient. Home restrictions and confinement of the participants also reduced the overall physical activty level of the participants. Income class appeared as a factor on the interaction between eating behavior and physical activity. Recognizing these findings may be significant in developing health promotion programs for older people during the remaining period of quarantine or future ones. There is a need for health education as a response scheme to COVID-19 in low-income settings, and it is essential that approaches are contextually suitable with the vulnerable age group.

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The Analysis of Nutritional Habits of the Third Age Students in Poznań

Open Agriculture ◽

10.1515/opag-2020-0003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 21-29

Author(s):

Magdalena Pracka ◽

Marcin Dziedziński ◽

Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Habits ◽

The Elderly ◽

The Body ◽

Nutritional Habits ◽

Third Age ◽

Waist To Hip Ratio ◽

The Third

AbstractIn recent years have seen increasing percentage of the elderly in the overall population. This has driven the attention to the lifestyle factors that influence the health and quality of life of this social group, including their nutrition and physical activity. Universities of the Third Age (U3A) are a valuable platform for the dissemination and broadening of the knowledge related to these topics. The nutritional habits of 61 U3A students in Poznań were evaluated on the basis of a modified KomPAN questionnaire. Their nutritional status was determined using the body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) indices. Nearly half of the respondents were overweight and 16% had first degree obesity. The WHR index in women was on average 0.8, while in men it was 1.01. Only 13% of the students declared regular eating, with 60% consuming 4-5 meals a day. Women were found to eat snacks between meals more often than men. It was also found that the majority of the elderly do not add salt to ready meals or sweeten beverages with sugars. Taking into account the observed nutritional problems and the occurrence of improper eating habits of the elderly, it is recommended to continue the education on the prevention of common diet-related diseased.

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Factors associated with the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among elderly residents of São Paulo city, Brazil

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/0102-311x00151312 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (11) ◽

pp. 2275-2286 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Telma de Almeida Busch Mendes ◽

Moisés Goldbaum ◽

Neuber José Segri ◽

Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros ◽

Chester Luiz Galvão César ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

The Elderly ◽

Multiple Regression Model ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

São Paulo ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Diet And Physical Activity ◽

And Control

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hypertension and control practices among the elderly. The survey analyzed data from 872 elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil, through a cluster sampling, stratified according to education and income. A Poisson multiple regression model checked for the existence of factors associated with hypertension. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension among the elderly was 46.9%. Variables associated with hypertension were self-rated health, alcohol consumption, gender, and hospitalization in the last year, regardless of age. The three most common measures taken to control hypertension, but only rarely, are oral medication, routine salt-free diet and physical activity. Lifestyle and socioeconomic status did not affect the practice of control, but knowledge about the importance of physical activity was higher among those older people with higher education and greater income. The research suggests that health policies that focus on primary care to encourage lifestyle changes among the elderly are necessary.

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Nutritional Behaviors, Vitamin Supplementation and Physical Activity among Polish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu14020331 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 331

Author(s):

Bogna Gryszczyńska ◽

Magdalena Budzyń ◽

Joanna Grupińska ◽

Magdalena Paulina Kasprzak ◽

Agnieszka Gryszczyńska

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Working Women ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

The Self ◽

Vitamin Supplementation ◽

Anonymous Questionnaire ◽

Gender Groups

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, including social isolation, movement restrictions and work instability have altered many people’s nutritional behaviors and daily lifestyle. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on selected eating habits, physical activity and daily lifestyle changes of Polish adults (n = 145). The self-designed and anonymous questionnaire was available online from the 1 May 2021 to the 15 May 2021. In general, 60% of respondents declared that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect their dietary habits, whereas 26% of surveyed individuals answered in the affirmative. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on changing dietary habits was differentiated by age (Pearson’s χ2 = 12.604; p = 0.0134). The number of meals consumed by respondents per day differed across gender groups (Pearson’s χ2 = 9.653; df = 4; p = 0.0466). An increase in body weight during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 43% of women and 7.6% of surveyed men. Additionally, hybrid working women declared most often an increase in body mass independent of age, education level and living place. Moreover, the majority of respondents who reported the effect of the pandemic on changing dietary habits also declared more frequent sweets consumption. The study revealed that respondents who stated more frequent sweets consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely associated with an increase in body mass (OR = 6.75, 95% CI, 6.75–91.25). No increase in the consumption of vitamin D, C and Mg supplements and pickled products was found.

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EATING HABITS AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES IN ADOLESCENT DURING COVID-19

INTERNATIONAL REFEREED ACADEMIC JOURNAL OF SPORTS ◽

10.17363/sstb.2020.37.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (37) ◽

pp. 0-0

Author(s):

İrem ÇELİKEL ◽

Yahya ÖZDOĞAN

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Preventive Health Services ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Primary Data ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Children And Families ◽

Outdoor Activities ◽

Daily Routines

Aim: This study was prepared to investigate the effects of was taken the prevantion and quarantine practices during COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle changes and eating habits of adolescents. Methods: This review is from primary data; in other words, by collecting secondary data obtained from studies conducted on the effect of COVID-19 on adolescents for the last year. Results: The COVID-19 epidemic which has affected the whole world, has significantly affected children as well as adults. Quarantine process has affected to food access and consumption, outdoor activities, travel, education and access to physical activity. This situation has caused serious reflections on the daily routines and lifestyle behaviors of individuals. It was observed that there were change in physical activity, eating habits, sleep patterns and screen time when the results of the epidemic were evaluated. Therefore, it seems important for young people to consider the effects of the pandemic process and to investigate the changing lifestyle changes. Conclusion: The COVID-19 epidemic which has affected the whole world, has significantly affected children as well as adults. It was thought that it would be effective for dieticians and public health specialists to provide trainings for children and families in adolescence in order to reduce possible side effects and improve preventive health services both during and after the epidemic. Given that much of the current literature currently consists of survey data or comment discussions, further research is needed to examine lifestyle changes with objective measures.

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The Swedish Young Male Twins Study: A Resource for Longitudinal Research on Risk Factors for Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1375/twin.9.6.883 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 883-889 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Finn Rasmussen ◽

Malin Kark ◽

Sanna Tholin ◽

Nina Karnehed ◽

Per Tynelius

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Eating Behavior ◽

Military Service ◽

Longitudinal Research ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Young Male ◽

Population Based ◽

Medical Birth Register

AbstractThe Swedish Young Male Twins Study is a population-based longitudinal twin study founded in 1997 through record-linkages of several national registers. Details on pregnancy and birth were obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Register and used to identify 3566 male twins (1783 pairs) born in Sweden between 1973 and 1979 and resident in Sweden in 1997. A record-linkage was made between the Medical Birth Register and the Military Service Conscription Register for the years 1991 to 1999, providing information on body weight, height, blood pressure, muscle strength, cognitive ability of these twins at age 18 and 19 years. In 1998, 2002 and 2005 to 2006, the twins were surveyed on their zygosity, socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors (such as eating habits, physical activity, smoking habits, use of alcohol etc), height and weight. In 2002, additional information was collected on perceived body shape and size, and eating behavior, according to the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. In 2003, DNA via buccal mucosa was collected from a subset of the twins. Recent research using the Swedish Young Male Twins datasets has explored the relationships between fetal growth, body size and blood pressure in young adulthood, genetic and environmental contributions to eating behavior and physical activity, and relationships between diet and physical activity patterns with longitudinal changes in body mass index and attained waist circumference.

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Lifestyle Changes Related to Eating Habits, Physical Activity, and Weight Status During COVID-19 Quarantine in Italy and Some European Countries

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.718877 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Arianna Catucci ◽

Umberto Scognamiglio ◽

Laura Rossi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Status ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Radical Change ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

European Countries ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Spanish Flu ◽

Strict Enforcement ◽

Global Threat

Novel human coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious respiratory disease, has affected more than 50 million people around the world up to November 2020, thereby becoming the fifth documented pandemic since the Spanish flu in 1918. SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in China and evolved for 4 months within the country before becoming a global threat. There is currently no drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for which efficacy on the virus has been proved. Therefore, the only strategy against this virus is to apply measures that are capable of reducing its spread, such as isolation and quarantine, social distancing, community-wide containment, and strict enforcement of hygiene. Quarantine has proved to be effective in combating the spread of the virus; however, it has inevitably led to a radical change in the lives of people. Studies have been conducted in Italy and some European countries to highlight the role that quarantine has played in determining the lifestyle changes both in eating habits and physical activity and their possible correlation with increase in weight. The selection criteria involved answering a questionnaire that included information on the weight status and at least one of the other two aspects: changes in eating habits and/or physical activity during the quarantine period. The results obtained indicate, in general, that the negative effect of quarantine was on eating habits and physical activity. This was based on the observation that there has been an increase in food consumption and a reduction in physical activity with a consequent increase in weight.

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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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Eating habits and lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 lockdown: A comparative study (before and during isolation) on the 9 de Julio city (Buenos Aires, Argentina) population

Archive of Food and Nutritional Science ◽

10.29328/journal.afns.1001023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 020-024

Author(s):

Sosa Miriam ◽

Cardinal Paula ◽

Elizagoyen Eliana ◽

Rodríguez Graciela ◽

Arce Soledad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Buenos Aires ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Sociodemographic Data ◽

The Social ◽

Containment Measures ◽

Nutritional Aspect ◽

At Home

Following the COVID-19 proliferation beyond China’s borders at the beginning of 2020, containment measures have been taken by different countries around the globe. Citizens were forced to stay at home. Specifically, on March 19th, the Argentine Government decided to implement the “Social, preventive and mandatory isolation”, strategy that unfortunately impacts on the lifestyle, the practise of physical activity and on the nutritional aspect of the population. The aim of this study was analize eating habits and lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 lockdown on the 9 de Julio city, Bs. As., Argentina. The survey was conducted using Google Form. The questionnaire was divided into different sections: sociodemographic data, eating habits, physical activity and concepts and emotions associated with isolation. The research reached 287 responses with a medium socioeconomic level. During isolation, the frequency of purchases decreased. It was observed an increase in the consumption of pasta, bread and cakes. Concerning the physical activity, approximately 70% declared to train before the COVID-19 lockdown, decreased by 13% during the lockdown. Other activities conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown; the most mentioned were cleaning the house, cooking, watching television, series and movies. A percentage greater than 50% of the surveyed population associated the situation of lockdown with positive emotions (share with my family, stay at home); while only 24% associate it with negative emotions (anxiety, anguish, fear). It is expected that most habits will return to normal, however, it would be interesting to know which of those developed, adopted and implemented during lockdown will remain in the new normality.

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Aspects Influencing Food Intake and Approaches towards Personalising Nutrition in the Elderly

Journal of Population Ageing ◽

10.1007/s12062-019-09259-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 239-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alexandru Rusu ◽

Mirana Randriambelonoro ◽

Caroline Perrin ◽

Carlijn Valk ◽

Berta Álvarez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Food Intake ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Eating Behaviour ◽

The Elderly ◽

Influential Factors ◽

Activity Level ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Motivational Aspect

AbstractHealthy diets have been demonstrated to complement benefits of physical activity, physical condition and mental wellbeing, all of them being important factors influencing the quality of life of elderly. Unfortunately malnutrition is a serious threat and an increasingly prevalent condition among the fast-growing elderly population. The present work addresses the identification of important factors contributing to decreased appetite and food intake as well as the development of approaches towards a healthy diet and personalised nutrition in elderly. Within the present study semi-structured interviews with elderly and elderly suffering from swallowing and mastication difficulties have been performed, results being used for the development of food provision modules and the corresponding recipes addressing the nutritional requirements of elderly. The social context and the swallowing and mastication difficulties influence the eating behaviour as well as the motivation to eat. On the other hand, it was found that texture modified foods (food which texture is adapted to the need of people with swallowing and mastication problems) could act as motivational aspect. With regard to food personalisation in the elderly the consideration of three different case scenarios based on individual independency and the degree of oral impairment seemed to be appropriate. Different aspects such as gender weight, physical activity level as well as high protein demand are important influential factors in the development of personalised recipes in elderly. In addition to the above, a conversational agent was developed as behaviour change module and can be successfully used as smart personal assistant in helping the users to understand their eating habits and adopt healthier nutrition over the long term.

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Influence of the built environment of Nanjing’s Urban Community on the leisure physical activity of the elderly: an empirical study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-019-7643-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zhi-jian Wu ◽

Yanliqing Song ◽

Hou-lei Wang ◽

Fan Zhang ◽

Fang-hui Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Built Environment ◽

Low Income ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

The Elderly ◽

Linear Regression Method ◽

Street Connectivity ◽

Recreational Physical Activity ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Urbanization and aging are global phenomena that offer unique challenges in different countries. A supportive environment plays an important role in addressing the issues of health behavioral change and health promotion (e.g., prevent chronic illnesses, promote mental health) among older adults. With the development of the socio-ecological theoretical model, studies on the impact of supportive environments on physical activity have become popular in the public health field in the EU and US. Meanwhile, very few Chinese studies have examined the relationship between built environment features and older adults’ physical activity at the ecological level. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the factors part of the built environment of Nanjing’s communities also influence leisure time physical activity among the elderly. Methods Using a socio-ecological model as a theoretical framework, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 399 elderly people from 19 communities in Nanjing, China, using a one-on-one questionnaire to collect data, including participants’ perceived built environment and self-reported physical activity. A multivariate linear regression method was used to analyze the factors influencing their recreational physical activity. Results This study found that compared to older people with low average monthly income, the recreational physical activity of the elderly with average monthly incomes between 1001 and 2000 ¥ (β = 23.31, p < 0.001) and 2001 ¥ or more (β = 21.15, p < 0.001) are significantly higher. After controlling for individual covariates, street connectivity (β = 7.34, p = 0.030) and street pavement slope (β = − 7.72, p = 0.020), we found that two out of ten built environment factors indicators influence their physical activity. The importance of each influencing factor ranked from highest to lowest are monthly average income, street pavement slope, and street connectivity. Other factors were not significantly related to recreational physical activity by the elderly. Conclusions Older adults with a high income were more likely to participate in recreational physical activity than those with a low income. In order to positively impact physical activity in older adults and ultimately improve health, policymakers and urban planners need to ensure that street connectivity and street pavement slope are factored into the design and development of the urban environment.

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