Lockdown and eating habits among professionals and students

Abstract

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, the number of cases and deaths has risen rapidly, forcing countries around the world to confine their population in order to control the virus's spread. In this study, changes in dietary habits and lifestyle during the Covid-19 lockdown from March to June 2020 have been evaluated in a specific Spanish population with an academic knowledge of food sciences. An online questionnaire, which covered sociodemographic data, dietary habits, food-related behaviours and lifestyle was distributed among professionals and students in the field of food sciences. During the lockdown, this population reported a significant increase in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, eggs, fish, and yogurt, along with a decrease in the intake of alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, there was also an increase in the consumption of salty snacks, chocolate and homemade pastries. Poor sleep quality and increased working hours and sitting time were also reported. Overall, the studied population showed trends towards healthier dietary habits during the Covid-19 lockdown in comparison with the general population.