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Subjective socioeconomic disadvantage is indirectly associated with food portion selection through perceived disruption of personal resources during a nationwide COVID-19 stay-at-home order.
Cheon, Bobby K; Lee, Li Ling.
  • Cheon BK; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: bobby.cheon@nih.gov.
  • Lee LL; School of Social Sciences (Psychology), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Appetite ; 178: 106158, 2022 11 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1914158
ABSTRACT
In addition to its public health implications, the global COVID-19 pandemic has also produced significant disruptions to individuals' socioeconomic resources and opportunities. Prior research has suggested that low subjective socioeconomic status (SSES) may stimulate appetite and motivate increased energy intake. Here, we tested whether individuals experiencing lower levels of SSES (SSES disadvantage) during a nationwide stay-at-home order for COVID-19 exhibited preferences for larger food portion sizes through perceived disruptions to personal financial and material resources. Data was collected near the conclusion of a nationwide partial lockdown (Singapore's "Circuit-Breaker" from April to June 2020). Participants (N = 295) completed an online survey involving a measure of SSES, the Coronavirus Impacts Questionnaire, and a food portion selection task where participants estimated the portion size they prefer to consume for a range of common foods. SSES disadvantage was associated with selection of smaller average portion sizes. Yet, a significant indirect effect of coronavirus impact was observed in this relationship, such that participants experiencing greater SSES disadvantage selected larger portion sizes through the effect of greater perceived impacts of COVID-19 to one's financial/material resources (controlling for one's actual level of income). These findings further support the idea that perceived deprivation and insecurity of important resources (financial, social, material) may influence intentions to consume greater amounts of energy. Consequently, systematic societal disruptions to such resources may reinforce and perpetuate potentially obesogenic eating behaviors of populations that are especially vulnerable to such shocks (i.e., people experiencing SSES disadvantage).
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Systematic review/Meta Analysis Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Appetite Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Systematic review/Meta Analysis Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Appetite Year: 2022 Document Type: Article