Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.
Nutrients. 2023 Apr 29;15(9):2148. doi: 10.3390/nu15092148.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in economic, social, and behavioral changes in people, which may favor several long-term consequences. This study evaluated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating behavior and mental health in the final phase of social isolation. This cross-sectional study included 756 adults that completed an online questionnaire. Individuals were stratified into those who had been infected with COVID-19 (GCOV) and those who did not (GNCOV). The GCOV group had higher weight ( = 0.013), body mass index (BMI) ( = 0.005), anxiety levels ( = 0.040), sleep disorders ( = 0.009), and poorer sleep quality ( = 0.0028). In the GCOV, the consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with higher anxiety levels and poorer sleep quality. A higher proportion of individuals who consumed more than five servings of in natura food was observed in the group with taste and olfactory dysfunction than in the group without. Obesity contributes to uncontrolled and emotional eating disorders, increased anxiety, and worsened sleep. Therefore, COVID-19 impaired mental health and eating behavior even in the long term. These changes were potentiated by the presence of obesity and consumption of ultra-processed foods, evidencing the importance of monitoring these individuals even after the resolution of COVID-19.
新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）大流行导致人们在经济、社会和行为方面发生变化，这可能有利于产生一些长期后果。本研究评估了 COVID-19 大流行在社会隔离的最后阶段对饮食行为和心理健康的影响。这项横断面研究纳入了 756 名完成在线问卷调查的成年人。个体被分为感染 COVID-19（GCOV）组和未感染 COVID-19（GNCOV）组。GCOV 组体重更高（P = 0.013）、体重指数（BMI）更高（P = 0.005）、焦虑水平更高（P = 0.040）、睡眠障碍更多（P = 0.009）、睡眠质量更差（P = 0.0028）。在 GCOV 组中，超加工食品的消费与更高的焦虑水平和更差的睡眠质量有关。与嗅觉味觉正常的个体相比，在存在嗅觉味觉障碍的个体中，食用更多天然食品的比例更高。肥胖会导致无法控制的情绪性饮食障碍、焦虑增加和睡眠质量恶化。因此，COVID-19 即使在长期也会损害心理健康和饮食行为。这些变化因肥胖和超加工食品的摄入而加剧，这表明即使 COVID-19 得到控制后，也需要对这些个体进行监测。
