Lifestyle Changes, Emotional Eating, Gender, and Stress during COVID-19 Lockdown.

Emotional eating poses health risks. It is associated with adverse weight gain and a higher body mass index and is frequently triggered by stressful situations such as pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic was found to cause stress as well as lifestyle changes of different magnitudes. This study examined the relationship between lifestyle changes and emotional eating by focusing on the moderating effect of gender and COVID-19-related stressors. A total of 1969 respondents completed online questionnaires during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Israel. The questionnaires assessed COVID-19-related lifestyle changes concerning eating habits, alcohol consumption, sleep quality, physical activity, and cigarette smoking, COVID-19-related stressors, and emotional eating (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire). People with positive and negative COVID-19-related lifestyle changes demonstrated higher emotional eating compared to people with no lifestyle changes. The relationship between lifestyle changes and emotional eating was moderated by gender and COVID-19-related stressors. In conclusion, health officials should consider recommendations about lifestyle changes given to the public in times of unpredictable changes, with special attention to populations at risk of emotional eating. As emotional eating is related to poor emotional regulation skills, public nutrition recommendations should focus on improving these skills rather than adopting better diets.

Difference between Minorities and Majorities in the Association between COVID-19-Related Stress and Psychological Distress: A Socio-Ecological Perspective and the Moderating Role of Parenthood.

This study introduces a socio-ecological perspective of differences in psychological distress between the Palestinian minority and Jewish majority citizens of Israel during lockdown due to COVID-19. The study examines the association between COVID-19-related stress and psychological distress, and the moderating effect of parenthood. Online questionnaires, completed by 1934 participants (1391 Jews, 552 Palestinians; 1306 parents, 637 without children; 54.86% female, 45.13% male; M age = 40.38, SD = 13.77) assessed COVID-19-related stressors and depression, anxiety, and stress. The Palestinian minority showed a higher level of COVID-19-related stress and psychological distress than the Jewish majority. Parenthood showed a moderating effect on the association between COVID-19-related stress and distress for the Jewish majority but not the Palestinian minority. The results emphasize the significance of considering social status when seeking to understand the differences between minorities and majorities in terms of distress and resilience during pandemic events, and the need for cultural sensitivity and awareness when issuing instructions in such circumstances. Additionally, the results highlight the potential role of parenthood as a resilience factor, depending upon social status.

The Association Between Men's Mental Health During COVID-19 and Deterioration in Economic Status.

This study investigated associations among economic status deterioration, mental health, and gender during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1,807 participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic variables and questions measuring three mental health variables: psychological distress (as measured by symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress), adjustment disorder, and emotional eating. Results indicated that women reported higher mental health impairment than men. Men and women whose economic status significantly deteriorated because of the COVID-19 pandemic reported greater mental health impairment than those whose economic status did not significantly deteriorate. However, men whose economic status significantly deteriorated reported high mental health impairment (emotional eating and adjustment difficulties) similar to women in the same situation. This change in men's reporting pattern suggests that the economic impact of COVID-19 severely impacted their mental health and affected how they view their masculinity, which, in turn, further impaired their mental health. As the COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on mental health worldwide, it is important to identify individuals and groups who are at high risk of mental health impairment. The current study demonstrates that men's distress, which is frequently complex to identify, can be detected using standardized measures and analyzing these according to changes in reporting patterns as opposed to simply examining means and frequencies. The results suggest that the COVID-19 crisis may provide an opportunity to understand more about mental health, in particular, that of men.

The Association between Lifestyle Changes and Psychological Distress during COVID-19 Lockdown: The Moderating Role of COVID-Related Stressors.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying circumstances (lockdown and social distancing) have been found to cause lifestyle habit changes. While negative changes (adopting risky behaviors) are known to be associated with high psychological distress, the effect of positive changes (adopting health-enhancing behaviors) has yet to be investigated. This study examined the association between the nature of changes and psychological distress, in addition to the moderating effect of "COVID-related stressors". Online questionnaires, completed by 1969 participants, assessed the following: lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 with regard to cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep quality, and eating habits; COVID-related stressors; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Positive and negative changes were associated with higher psychological distress compared to no lifestyle change, and there was a moderating effect of COVID-related stressors in the association between COVID-related lifestyle changes and distress. In conclusion, to reduce psychological distress in overwhelming circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, people should carefully consider whether to make changes in their lifestyle habits before doing so, even if these changes are perceived as positive and health-enhancing. Furthermore, efforts should be focused on reducing the perception of stress from COVID-19 by working on personal and mental perceptions of the situation.

Sleep quality and COVID-19-related stress in relation to mental health symptoms among Israeli and U.S. adults.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 virus has resulted not only in high rates of morbidity and mortality across the globe, but in widespread mental health problems and sleep disruption, likely as a result of pandemic-related stressors. The current study examines associations among COVID-related stress, sleep quality, and mental health. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data were collected via online surveys in May 2020. PARTICIPANTS: were 2541 community adults ages 18-70 from Israel (N = 1969) and the U.S. (N = 572). MEASUREMENT: Participants completed measures of COVID-related stress, sleep quality, and symptoms of anxiety, depression and adjustment disorder. RESULTS: Participants reported high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms, adjustment difficulties, and poor sleep quality. In both countries, COVID-related stressors were associated with both anxiety and depression, and these associations were mediated by sleep disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the role of sleep in mental health difficulties. Widespread, accessible, evidence-based interventions are urgently needed to improve health and mental health and to promote resilience in preparation for future global crises.