Weight cycling among Indonesian college students in West Java province during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Changes in our bodies can cause several problems, particularly for students who are concerned about maintaining an ideal body shape. Many of them try to diet, but their body returns to its previous weight or even increases in weight. Thus, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence the incidence of weight cycling in Indonesian students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study used purposive sampling to collect data. Three hundred college students from West Java province, Indonesia, participated. Weight cycling was the dependent variable and the independent variables were physical activity, sex, and weight management. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors influencing the incidence of weight cycling. Results: Sex, physical activity, skipping meals, and snacking were determinants related to weight cycling incidence. Females had a 0.7 times higher risk of experiencing weight cycling than males. Inactive students were 4.7 times more likely to become weight cyclers, and those who rarely skipped mealtime had lower risk of being weight cyclers. Students who sometimes and always consumed snacks had higher risk of becoming weight cyclers by 3.3 and 2.7 times, respectively, compared to those who rarely consumed snacks. Conclusion: Regular physical activity, not skipping meals, especially breakfast, and practising a healthy diet every day are recommended strategies to avoid weight cycling during a pandemic. © 2023,Malaysian Journal of Nutrition. All Rights Reserved.

Impact of Final Phase Social Isolation and the COVID-19 Pandemic on Eating Behavior, Sleep Quality, and Anxiety Level.

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 (p = 0.013), body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.005), anxiety levels (p = 0.040), sleep disorders (p = 0.009), and poorer sleep quality (p = 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.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Weight Change Among Adults in the UAE.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic which started in November 2019 and since then has led to multiple lockdowns aimed towards controlling the pandemic, these lockdowns contributed to major changes in individuals' lifestyles including eating patterns and restriction of physical activity due to continues house confinement. Such changes have significantly contributed to weight change, with increasing rates of obesity in the UAE, COVID-19 have posed a major concern to the country's obesity levels. Aim: To measure the prevalence and investigate the views related to weight change among adults in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through a self-administered online questionnaire distributed using social media platforms between February 15th and March 14th, 2021. The sample size was 439 adults in the UAE (18-59 years), collected by volunteer sampling. Analysis was done using SPSS with a significance of 5.0%. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy and bariatric surgeries history. Results: 51.1% of participants gained weight, 36.2% lost weight and 12.7% maintained their weight. Meal consumption frequency and weight gain were correlated. Consuming fast food resulted in 65.7% of participants gaining weight. 66.2% of people who lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic did exercise. Stress management and sleeping patterns were not contributing factors to the weight change. 64.4% of the participants who were not satisfied with their weight and believed that they need to make changes in their lifestyle received no guidance from professional personnel to reach their desired weight. Conclusion: In this study, the majority of participants have witnessed an increase in weight. UAE health authorities must provide guidance and support to the population via structured nutritional programs and lifestyle awareness campaigns.

Changes in food and nutrient intakes in Korean adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: data from the 2011-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to examine the changes in dietary habits and food and nutrient intakes between before (2019) and during (2020) the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: A total of 54,995 participants aged ≥19 years who participated in the 2011-2020 KNHANES were included. The 10-year trend (2011-2020) and differences between 2019 and 2020 for dietary habits and food and nutrient intakes were estimated using SAS. RESULTS: In the past 10 years (2011-2020), the dietary habits (increase in skipping meals and eating out), food intake (increase in meats and decrease in fruits and vegetables), and nutrient intake (increase in fat and decrease in sodium) in adults have changed. When comparing between 2019 and 2020, there were 4.6%p decrease in the eating out more than once a day. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the intakes of food, energy and most of nutrients between 2019 and 2020, except for the proportion of energy intake from fat (1.0%p increase) and carbohydrate (1.0%p decrease). CONCLUSIONS: Although a change in dietary habits from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic was observed, food and nutrient intakes have not deteriorated markedly and appear similar to the trends in the past 10 years. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to monitor the effects of changes in dietary habits on health as well as food and nutrient intakes.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle among the Saudi population.

Background: During COVID-19, major change occurred in the governmental regulations to combat the pandemic. Lifestyle factors are changeable habits and routine behaviors with an impact on physical and mental health. With the pandemic, sudden and radical changes occurred in the lifestyle of people worldwide. The main purpose of the study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle factors including (dietary habits, physical activity, sleeping patterns, smoking, and alcohol use) among the Saudi population. Design and methods: This is a cross-sectional study on a convenient sample of adults residing in Saudi Arabia. An online survey was distributed via social media channels. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the distribution of demographic variables using Chi-square χ2 tests for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables. Bowker test, and McNemar's Test were performed to evaluate the effects of lockdown on lifestyle factors. Results: A total of 1051 participants were included in the study. There was a slight decrease in the overall diet score during the pandemic (14.98%) compared to before the pandemic (15.05%) (p-value = 0.02), indicating poorer dietary intake during the lockdown. Approximately one-fourth of the participants (26.1%) reported following specific eating habits or a restricted diet during the pandemic (p-value = 0.0001). There was increased consumption of most components of dietary intake categories, during the lockdown. An increase in physical activities for three or more times was reported. A higher proportion of respondents reported sleeping nine or more hours a day during the lockdown (10.8%). Similarly, a higher percentage of individuals reported smoking daily during the lockdown (12.2%). As of overall health status, higher percentage of respondents reported poor health status during lockdown (6.1%). Conclusion: This study revealed major changes in lifestyle factors, negative shifts were revealed in dietary habits and smoking patterns. Positive changes were shown in physical activity, drinking water, and sleeping patterns. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 played a major role in changing lifestyle factors among adults in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare providers and public health officials are encouraged to increase awareness of healthy lifestyle factors that strengthen the immune system to combat COVID-19. The Saudi population needs increased awareness programs about healthy lifestyles to be prepared during pandemics.

THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE DIETARY HABITS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Background. Social isolation turned out to be a new experience that affected many aspects, including those related to the lifestyle of people all around the world. Changing dietary habits, combined with reduced physical activity, may contribute to an increased risk of obesity among children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the social isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the eating behavior of children and adolescents. The research tool was a questionnaire consisting of open-ended and choice questions concerning issues related to eating behaviors, regularity and frequency of meals, specific product groups and supplements used. Results and conclusion. Most respondents were teenagers aged 13 ÷ 15 and 16 ÷ 18 living in rural areas. Weight gain during the social isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic was declared by 28.5 % of girls and 36.3 % of boys. The main reasons were a remote learning mode, decreased physical activity, depressed mood, stress, eating and sleep disorders. There were no significant differences in the number of meals consumed before and during the pandemic between boys and girls. Before the pandemic, both groups were comprised mainly by people eating three meals. During the social isolation, the number of people eating five or more meals a day increased in both groups. An increase in the consumption of coffee, tea and salty and sweet snacks was observed. During the pandemic, the number of people undertaking physical activity decreased, so did the average time spend on sports. © 2022, Polskie Towarzystwo Technologow Zywnosci Wydawnictwo Naukowe PTTZ. All rights reserved.

"Your Diet is a Bank Account;Good Food Choices are Good Investment";COVID-19 and Dieting

ABSTRACT Objective: To gain insight into the relationship between dieting and unhealthy eating habits with COVID-19 infections and complications. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan during the month of Jan 2021. Methodology: This study was carried out through a web-based survey. Google forms were used. It included questions exploring dietary habits, weight changes, weight loss methods, COVID-19 status and severity of symptoms, including ten Open-ended questions and seven closed-ended questions. Results: A total of 314 participants responded to the survey. They were divided into two groups, Group-A and Group-B. The mean age of the participants was 24.3±4.9 years. Group-A participants were doing dieting during last three years off and on as well as had more severe symptoms of COVID-19. On the other hand, Group-B had mild symptoms of COVID-19. Regarding COVID-19 status, 294(92%) participants in the study recovered from COVID-19, and 30(9.5%) participants suffered from COVID-19 at the time of the survey. The results concluded a positive correlation between the type and duration of dieting and severity of COVID-19 symptoms as well as in weight loss of more than 8kg with COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: Among various factors contributing to the extension and severity of COVID-19, dieting represents one of the possible causes of the severity of symptoms of COVID-19. Understanding its importance is of paramount significance and needs further evaluation.

Dietary habits, lifestyle changes, and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A cross-sectional study in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown had a significant effect on people's lifestyles and dietary habits resulting in a possible negative health impact, particularly for patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objective of the study was to assess the changes in dietary habits and lifestyle and how these relate to glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), who attended Zagazig Diabetes Clinic, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 402 patients with T2D were included in this cross-sectional study. A semistructured questionnaire was used to collect information on socioeconomic status, dietary habits, lifestyle changes, and previous medical history. Weight and height were also measured, and hemoglobin A1C levels before and after lockdown were compared. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS. To determine statistical significance, Chi-square test was used for categorical variables whereas, paired t-test or McN-Nemar test, as appropriate, was used to compare change in HbA1c before and after lockdown. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with weight change, whereas binary logistic regression was used to determine factors related with glycemic control. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 43.8% of the studied groups consumed more than their usual diet with an increase in fruits, vegetables, and immunity-boosting food; 57% depended on home-cooked food, 48.3% did not practice exercise. About 57% reported to have gained weight, 70.9% suffered from mental stress, and 66.7% reported inadequate sleep. Collectively, there was a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of good glycemic control in the studied groups (28.1% vs. 15.9%) before and after the COVID-19 lockdown, respectively (P < 0.001). Weight gain, physical inactivity, mental stress, and inadequate sleep were significantly associated with poor glycemic control. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the lifestyle and dietary habits of the studied groups. Therefore, it is very important to ensure better diabetes management in this critical period.

Interplay Between Sociodemographic Variables, Physical Activity, Sleep, Dietary Habits, and Immune Health Status: A Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia's Western Province.

BACKGROUND: In addition to developing effective therapeutic approaches, the maintenance of health also constitutes lifestyle and behavioral aspects related to being more resilient in the event of future illness. Reduced immune health has been linked to reports of more frequent and severe infections as well as a variety of non-communicable diseases, both of which may eventually place a significant burden on the healthcare system. Several lifestyles and behaviors can influence immune health, both positively and negatively. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the immune health status and investigate its relationship with widely practiced lifestyle behaviors that are thought to affect immunological functioning. DESIGN AND METHOD: Saudi Arabian citizens and international residents of the Western Province were invited to participate in this cross-sectional web-based survey through an online advertisement. The integrated questionnaire on lifestyle (Arab Teens Lifestyle Study) and immune health status (Immune Status Questionnaire (ISQ)) was completed in November 2022 by 1230 participants. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square, or Fisher's exact test was utilized to investigate the relationships between study variables and immune health status groups. Spearman's or Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to determine correlations between the overall ISQ scores and study variables. RESULTS: Of the 925 study participants, 34.7% scored below 6 on the ISQ. Of the respondents, 50% had a body mass index of 25 or higher, and 46.3% reported sleeping less than four hours each night. Of the participants, 62-82% did not engage in any form of physical activity. The associations between the ISQ score and weight (p = 0.006), total sleep time per night (p = 0.001), duration of household activities (p < 0.001), and smoking status (p = 0.001) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: According to the data presented here, reduced immune health as measured by ISQ < 6 was prevalent among residents of Saudi Arabia's Western Province and correlated significantly with obesity, sleep duration, and smoking status. Various measures to mitigate the negative impact of an unhealthy lifestyle on public health and to reverse the observed poor immune health and their economic consequences are highly required.

The impact of COVID-19 quarantine on lifestyle indicators in the United Arab Emirates.

Introduction: COVID-19 is a virus that has spread rapidly and brought economic and social crises all around the world. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 quarantine on dietary habits, physical activity, food purchasing, smoking, and sleeping patterns in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire between November 1st, 2020 and the end of January 2021. Citizens and residents of the UAE aged ≥ 18 years old were asked to complete an anonymous electronic questionnaire created via Google Forms and distributed on various platforms, such as WhatsApp, Twitter, and email. A total of 1682 subjects participated in the study. Results: The results included that during the COVID-19 lockdown, more participants (44.4%) reported an increase in weight. This gain seems to be linked to increased food consumption [(Adjusted Odd Ratio) AOR = 1.68, 95% (Confidence Interval) CI = 1.12, 2.54, p = 0.022], decreased physical activity (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.58, 3.21, p < 0.001), and increased smoking (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.50, p = 0.038). The groups that were most likely to gain weight included those who consumed more cereals (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.57, p = 0.011), had an increased desire for sweets (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.50, 3.19, p < 0.001), and an increased desire for food (hunger) (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.53, 3.14, p < 0.001). In contrast, those who exercised more were more likely to lose weight (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44, 0.86, p < 0.001) as well as those who slept over 9 h a day (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 0.45, 0.88, p = 0.006). Discussion: Overall, it is essential to promote healthy habits and methods of healthy diet maintenance during stressful and unusual times when people might find it difficult to put effort into their health.

Hybrid Approach to Predict the Death Rate of COVID-19 Patients

From closedown of December 2019, coronavirus has directly exhibited a lofty rate of transmission, coercing the World Health Organization to contend in the month of March 2020 that this unbeknownst coronavirus can be depicted as a pandemic. COVID-19 epidemic has guided to an operatic misplacement of deathly life over the public and presents an unbeknownst complaint to public fitness. It also affects the food systems of the person and the world of work. Once the person is infected by COVID, the metabolic exertion of vulnerable cells in his or her body is enhanced, similar as the one driven by COVID-19. The country's dietary habits are analyzed to predict the particular person's death rate. By using KNN algorithm, the performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score are evaluated for the country's dietary habits. In this research, both clustering and classification are combined to increase the accuracy of the prediction of death rate of the person. K-means is used for the clustering of the countries, and KNN is used for classifying the countries. The 170 countries are clustered based on the country's dietary habits, and other disease affected rate using K-means clustering algorithm. Countries are clustered into high and normal death rate countries based on the country's dietary habits and another cluster into high and normal death rate based on the other disease affected rate rather than COVID-19. Using the country's dietary habits and other disease affected clusters, the death rate of the person is predicted. After clustering the data based on the country's dietary habits and other disease affected rate, the KNN algorithm is used to classify and identify the person's death rate. Using clustering and classification algorithms in a combined way, an accuracy of 79% is achieved. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Changes in dietary habits and weight status during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with socioeconomic status among Iranians adults.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has impacted human health through sudden lifestyle changes, including isolation at home, and social distancing. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating habits, weight status, and their associations with socioeconomic status. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online structured questionnaire that inquired demographic, anthropometric (reported weight and height); dietary habits (weekly intake of certain foods); and dietary supplement intake information. Results: A total of 1,187 participants completed the questionnaire, and after validation of the data, 1,106 respondents were included in the study, with a mean age of 34.5 ± 9.4 years. Our findings showed that the body mass index (BMI) of the participants significantly increased during COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Also, there were significant changes in the intake of a variety of food and beverage during the COVID-19, including less consumption of milk, yogurt, red meat, fish, canned fish, homemade fast foods, take out fast foods, carbonated drinks, and more consumption of whole bread, legumes (chickpeas, lentil, peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and navy beans), soy bean, nuts, seeds, high vitamin C vegetables, high vitamin C fruits, green-yellow fruits and vegetables, onion/garlic, dried fruits, natural fruit juices, and water (P < 0.001; for all). It is informed that individuals consumed more vitamin and mineral supplements (P < 0.001). Also, before and during COVID-19 pandemic weekly intakes of dairy, red meat, poultry, high vitamin C fruits, and whole bread were positively associated with socioeconomic status (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Overall, this study indicates changes in body weight, dietary habits and supplement intake during the pandemic. Therefore, the findings of this study are valuable for, health professionals and politicians to better public health practice and policy making.

How did the dietary habits of patients with chronic medical conditions change during COVID-19?

CONTEXT: Previous studies have examined the changes in the dietary habits of general populations during the COVID-19 pandemic but have not focused on specific populations such as those with chronic medical conditions (CMCs). Prior to major vaccination efforts, 96.1% of deaths were attributed to patients with preexisting CMCs, thus it is important to examine how this population has endured changes. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and food attitudes between those with CMCs compared to the populations without chronic medical conditions (non-CMCs) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2021 to July 2021. Participants (n=299) responded to a 58-item questionnaire regarding demographics (n=9), health information (n=8), lifestyle habits (n=7), dietary habits (n=28), and food attitudes (n=6). Frequency counts and percentages were tabulated, and t-test sampling and ANOVA testing were conducted to examine the associations utilizing SPSS V28 at a statistical significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: When compared to non-CMC participants, with CMCs had a less frequent change in their diet and had better food attitudes when it came to consumption habits. Non-CMC and CMC participants had no statistically significant differences in overall dietary habits; however, an examination of specific food items reviews significant findings. Compared to non-CMC participants, those with CMCs reported significantly decreased consumption of energy-dense food such as French fries, white pasta, sweets, and salty snacks, with notable exceptions in increased consumption of energy-dense foods, starchy veggies, and vegetable/tomato juice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that participants with CMCs indicated that fewer changes occurred in participants with a CMC; however, when these participants made changes, they were beneficial to their consumption habits. Future studies should aim to develop interventions for the demographics with poor dietary habits so that those that are most vulnerable may have their needs met.

Nutrition Management in COVID-19 Quarantine: Hospital-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: This hospital-based study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status and dietary habits, the amount of nutrients provided to the patients in the hospital and to detect the predictors of severity among COVID-19 patients in Jordan. METHODS: A hospital-based study (N = 367; mean age 42.3 y; SD 15.4; 66.0% men) was conducted between March 17 and July 25, 2020, in Prince Hamza Hospital. Data about socio-demographic, anthropometric, dietary habits, and macro- and micronutrients intake were collected from the patients' medical files, and some missing data were collected by phone directly from the patients. RESULTS: The results of the linear regression showed that only age was significantly and positively (ß = 0.454; P = 0.001) associated with severity of the disease among the study patients. Approximately 57% of the COVID-19 patients consumed 3 meals daily, while 31-34% consumed 1 to 2 snacks daily. The majority (64%) of the patients drank more than 5 cups of water daily. Around 24% of the patients complained of eating problems, such as taste and/or smell loss, low appetite, and swallowing difficulty. The intakes of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and C, as well as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and sodium, were within the recommended dietary allowances (RDA). CONCLUSION: The servings of the 5 food groups as well as most of the macro- and micronutrient requirements were within the recommended intakes and RDA.

"Your Diet is a Bank Account, Good Food Choices are Good Investment", COVID-19 and Dieting

Objective: To gain insight into the relationship between dieting and unhealthy eating habits with COVID-19 infections and complications. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan during the month of Jan 2021. Methodology: This study was carried out through a web-based survey. Google forms were used. It included questions exploring dietary habits, weight changes, weight loss methods, COVID-19 status and severity of symptoms, including ten Open-ended questions and seven closed-ended questions. Results: A total of 314 participants responded to the survey. They were divided into two groups, Group-A and Group-B. The mean age of the participants was 24.3±4.9 years. Group-A participants were doing dieting during last three years off and on as well as had more severe symptoms of COVID-19. On the other hand, Group-B had mild symptoms of COVID-19. Regarding COVID-19 status, 294(92%) participants in the study recovered from COVID-19, and 30(9.5%) participants suffered from COVID-19 at the time of the survey. The results concluded a positive correlation between the type and duration of dieting and severity of COVID-19 symptoms as well as in weight loss of more than 8kg with COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: Among various factors contributing to the extension and severity of COVID-19, dieting represents one of the possible causes of the severity of symptoms of COVID-19. Understanding its importance is of paramount significance and needs further evaluation. © 2022, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and dietary habits about omega 3 and 6 in university students from Ecuador and Peru, during COVID-19

Introduction: Confinement has adverse psycho-social as well as dietary repercussions. During the pandemic there was a higher consumption of processed and canned foods, in-creasing the consumption of omega 6 (co-6) and probably de-creasing the consumption of omega 3 (co-3).Objective: To determine the relationship between knowl-edge and dietary habits about omega 3 and 6 in university students from Ecuador and Peru during COVID-19.Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study, carried out in 134 Ecuadorian and 215 Peruvian students. Data were obtained from a virtual questionnaire with questions on knowledge and dietary habits about ca-3 and ca-6. Spearman's Rho, Mann Whitney U and Kruskall Wallis statistical tests were performed.Results: A correlation coefficient of knowledge and eating habits on ca-3 and ca-6, Rho=0.146 (p=0.092) and Rho=0.081 (p=0.235) was obtained for the samples from Ecuador and Peru, respectively. In Ecuadorian students, there were differences in the levels of knowledge about ca-3 and ca -6, both in males and females (p=0.007). In both countries there are different levels of knowledge in the different spe-cialties of the study (p=0.004).Conclusion: There is no correlation between knowledge and eating habits about ca-3 and ca-6 in university students of Health Sciences in both countries. Students from Ecuador present insufficient knowledge and inadequate dietary habits about ca-3 and ca-6, more than Peru.

Effect of Lockdown in the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dietary Habits and Self-Medication Practice in People Living in Jordan

Background: The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted Jordanian society, particularly on health. Aim(s): This study examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Jordanian society's dietary habits and self-medication practices. Method(s): We surveyed 1252 Jordanians of both genders between the ages of 18 and 65 years by questionnaire. Three questions were asked to evaluate the frequency of foods/drinks consumption, general eating habits, and self-medication practice of individuals of both genders during the lockdown. Result(s): Dietary habits and food quality affected weight (increase or decrease) by 69.5% during the lockdown. The highest percentages of 'very high' consumption per week for fruits, processed juices, and fried foods were 37.6 %, 36.7%, and 29.4%, respectively. The highest percentage of 'very little' consumption per week for drinking water, milk, and soft drinks were 12.5%, 8.5%, and 7.4%, respectively. The percentage of respondents who had taken medicine without a doctor's prescription was 84.7%. The highest percentage (74%) was in using self-medication as a preventive measure against the coronavirus, followed by treating a cold/flu (61.4%), in both genders and age groups. The largest percentage (78.5%) was for using paracetamol, followed by ibuprofen and azithromycin (78.1% and 77.1%), respectively. Conclusion(s): Dietary habits and the quality of the foods consumed during lockdown affected participants' weight (increase or decrease) by 69.5%. The percentage of participants who self-medicated was 84.7%. Copyright © 2022 International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Dietary Habits and Lifestyle, Including Cardiovascular Risk among Vegetarians and Omnivores during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Polish Population.

Background: This study assessed how two food groups­omnivores (OMN) and vegetarians (VEGE)­differ in lifestyle changes, including dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials: A total of 861 persons participated in the survey and were divided into two groups: persons following a mixed diet (n = 489) and vegetarians, including vegans (n = 372). The mean age shows no significant differences. Methods: An online survey was conducted on the Polish population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected using social media; the survey was intended for adults and included separate sheets for different diets (OMN vs. VEGE). Results: The results in both groups were similar regarding the burden of premature diseases. Most respondents (~90%) did not indicate cardiovascular disease abnormalities. In the OMN group, overweight and obesity occurred more often, and the OMN group also showed a higher percentage of people reporting weight gain (OMN 42.7% vs. VEGE 35.9%). The results disclosed the VEGE group significantly more frequently chose products, i.e., vegetables (p = 0.029), legumes (p < 0.001), and dairy products or their plant substitutes (p = 0.002), compared to the OMN group. Conclusions: The VEGE group revealed the most regularities in dietary habits during the pandemic.

Reported dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors of students before and during COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional survey among university students from Ghana.

Background: COVID-19 lockdowns involved precautions and social rules that resulted in drastic changes to daily life activities in every setting. University students were not left out as their education was affected and they had to resort to online learning from their homes. The lockdowns did not only affect their education but also potentially affected their dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors. We evaluated the reported dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors of students from a Ghanaian University before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Materials and Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, 220 students were recruited from the University for Development Studies in Ghana. Data was collected by means of an online questionnaire. Chi-square test (χ2 ) analysis was used to examine associations among variables. Results: About 59% of the students skipped meals before COVID-19 whereas 47.8% skipped meals during the COVID-19 lockdown. While 64.1% consumed homemade meals before the COVID-19, 82.3% consumed homemade meals during the COVID-19 lockdown. In addition, there was a significant increase in the consumption of homemade food (p < 0.001), level of healthy foods choices (p = 0.029), and a reduced skipping of meals (0.014) during the COVID-19 lockdown. Again, 56.4% of the students engaged in exercise before the lockdown while 45% participated in exercise during the lockdown. Conclusions: The lockdown had an impact on some of the dietary and lifestyle habits of the students. University students should be supported with appropriate nutrition education and counseling programs to help them adopt healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.

Dietary Pattern of School-Going Children during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: School age is the foundation of human life. A healthy and balanced diet plays a major role in the proper growth development of the body as well as the mind. Only a balanced diet can provide all the macro and micronutrients. Covid 19 has impacted each and every human being in some or another manner. School-going children had to cope with new encounters involving online teaching-learning methodology and social distancing. As a result, these children have undergone mental and psychological trauma. This led them to follow faulty dietary habits, which would have long time impact on their health. Aim and Objectives: In the present survey, an attempt has been made to compile a report on the dietary intake of school-going children in the Roopnagar district of Punjab, India. Methodology: For the purpose sample of 100 students (7 to 12 years) was selected from four development blocks of district Roopnagar, and the cluster sampling method was adopted for data collection. A detailed pretested questionnaire on the dietary habits of children was used. Results: 59% of children were vegetarian, 32% were non-vegetarian, and 9% were eggetarian. Study findings showed that children preferred some of the items such as wheat, rice, sugar, rajma, black gram, green gram, potato, tomato, onion, apple, banana, and grapes over other food items in the same food group. Conclusion: Results showed that children do not consume a variety of food items, and some selected food items only resulting low dietary diversity and food variety. © 2022 Lifescience Global.