ABSTRACT
The effects of COVID-19-related lockdowns on deterioration of mental health and use of exercise to remediate such effects has been well documented in numerous populations. However, it remains unknown how lockdown restrictions impacted individuals differently and who was more likely to change their exercise behavior and experience negative well-being. The current study examined exercise dependence as a risk factor and its impact on exercise behavior and mood during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns on a global scale in 11,898 participants from 17 countries. Mixed effects models revealed that reducing exercise behavior was associated with a stronger decrease in mood for individuals at risk of exercise dependence compared to individuals at low risk of exercise dependence. Participants at high risk and exercising more prior to the pandemic reported the most exercise during lockdown. Effects of lowered mood were most pronounced in participants with high risk of exercise dependence who reported greater reduction in exercise frequency during lockdown. These results support recent etiological evidence for exercise dependence and add to a growing body of literature documenting mental health effects related to COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The effects of COVID-19-related lockdowns on deterioration of mental health and use of exercise to remediate such effects has been well documented in numerous populations. However, it remains unknown how lockdown restrictions impacted individuals differently and who was more likely to change their exercise behavior and experience negative well-being. The current study examined exercise dependence as a risk factor and its impact on exercise behavior and mood during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns on a global scale in 11,898 participants from 17 countries. Mixed effects models revealed that reducing exercise behavior was associated with a stronger decrease in mood for individuals at risk of exercise dependence compared to individuals at low risk of exercise dependence. Participants at high risk and exercising more prior to the pandemic reported the most exercise during lockdown. Effects of lowered mood were most pronounced in participants with high risk of exercise dependence who reported greater reduction in exercise frequency during lockdown. These results support recent etiological evidence for exercise dependence and add to a growing body of literature documenting mental health effects related to COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Recent evidence suggests psychosocial stressors stemming from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exposure and public health recommendations and policies have exacerbated eating disorder symptoms. Consequentially, eating disorder acuity has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, it is still unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic may be impacting individuals receiving treatment for eating disorders at higher levels of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 on eating disorder symptoms and associated outcomes in a sample of individuals receiving eating disorder treatment compared to individuals receiving treatment in 2019.Methods: Blinded outcomes data from 272 adults who completed treatment at an eating disorder treatment center between April and October of 2019 (pre-COVID-19 group) and 2020 (COVID-19 group) were examined. Repeated measures analyses of variance with Bonferroni correction were used to examine differences in outcome variables and treatment response.Results: Fewer participants reported trauma in 2020, but symptoms were more severe when present. A significant interaction effect for treatment (eg, admission, discharge) and year (eg, pre-COVID-19, COVID-19) was found for eating disorder and trauma symptoms. Moreover, trauma symptom scores were higher in 2020 than in 2019. The interaction among year, trauma, and treatment was significant (F3,268 = 2.11, P = .027, η2 = 0.034), indicating that individuals with severe trauma in 2020 reported less eating disorder symptom score reduction.Conclusions: Results extend understanding of effects during the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment-seeking individuals with eating disorders. Clinical implications suggest that greater attention to trauma when screening eating disorder patients and selecting treatment approaches are needed, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Feeding and Eating Disorders , Adult , Comorbidity , Feeding and Eating Disorders/diagnosis , Feeding and Eating Disorders/epidemiology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/therapy , Humans , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Reducing the energy density (ED) of product selections made during online supermarket food shopping has potential to decrease energy intake. Yet it is unclear which types of intervention are likely to be most effective and equitable. We recruited 899 UK adults of lower and higher socioeconomic position (SEP) who completed a shopping task in an online experimental supermarket. Participants were randomised in a 2 × 2 between-subjects design to test the effects of two interventions on the ED of shopping basket selections: labelling lower-ED products as healthier choices and increasing the relative availability of lower-ED products within a range (referred to as proportion). Labelling of lower-ED products resulted in a small but significant decrease (-4.2 kcal/100 g, 95% CIs -7.8 to -0.6) in the ED of the shopping basket. Increasing the proportion of lower-ED products significantly decreased the ED of the shopping basket (-17 kcal/100 g, 95% CIs -21 to -14). There was no evidence that the effect of either intervention was moderated by SEP. Thus, both types of intervention decreased the ED of foods selected in an online experimental supermarket. There was no evidence that the effectiveness of either intervention differed in people of lower vs. higher SEP.