Jahan Ishrat, Hasan A B M Nahid, Sharif Azaz Bin, Akter Sharmin
Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Global Health Institute, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023 Jun 29;3(6):e0002096. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002096. eCollection 2023.
In an effort to avert further Covid-19 transmission, the Bangladesh government took several initiatives which disrupted the routine food intake and exercise of diabetic patients. This study sought to examine the difference in dietary and exercise habits of diabetic patients between their pre-pandemic status and during COVID-19 which may be attributed to the observed poor health outcomes during the study period. This was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 604 diabetic patients using a convenience sampling technique who were attending outpatient clinics of the three selected hospitals in Bangladesh. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information regarding eating habit and physical activity of the respondents pre- and during COVID-19 pandemic via direct interview. McNemar-Bowker test was used to assess the changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors. The current study reveals that 93.9% of the respondents were type-2 diabetic patients. During the pandemic, there was a decrease in the consumption of rice, bread, meat, fish, eggs, and dessert, while the consumption of cereals, milk, and potato/starchy vegetables increased. There was also a decrease in the frequency of drinking tea or coffee, while the consumption of soft drinks remained relatively stable. The level and duration of physical activity significantly decreased among the respondents during the pandemic. This study explored the changes in dietary habits and physical activity among the study population which not only disrupt the metabolic control of the diabetic patients but also pose a significant threat to their overall health. Therefore, it is critical to prioritize measures that support diabetic patients to maintain healthy dietary habit and to engage in regular physical activity during unprecedented times such as COVID-19 pandemic.
为避免新冠病毒进一步传播，孟加拉国政府采取了多项举措，这些举措扰乱了糖尿病患者的日常饮食摄入和锻炼。本研究旨在调查糖尿病患者在疫情前和新冠疫情期间饮食习惯和锻炼习惯的差异，这些差异可能是导致研究期间观察到的不良健康结果的原因。这是一项横断面研究，采用便利抽样技术招募了604名糖尿病患者，这些患者来自孟加拉国选定的三家医院的门诊。通过直接访谈，使用经过验证的半结构化问卷收集受访者在新冠疫情前和期间的饮食习惯和身体活动信息。采用McNemar-Bowker检验评估饮食和身体活动行为的变化。当前研究表明，93.9%的受访者为2型糖尿病患者。在疫情期间，大米、面包、肉类、鱼类、蛋类和甜点的消费量下降，而谷物、牛奶和土豆/淀粉类蔬菜的消费量增加。喝茶或咖啡的频率也有所下降，而软饮料的消费量保持相对稳定。在疫情期间，受访者的身体活动水平和时长显著下降。本研究探讨了研究人群饮食习惯和身体活动的变化，这些变化不仅扰乱了糖尿病患者的代谢控制，也对他们的整体健康构成了重大威胁。因此，在新冠疫情等前所未有的时期，优先采取措施支持糖尿病患者保持健康的饮食习惯并定期进行体育活动至关重要。
