CHB 2.2.2: Diet Quality during COVID-19 Confinements

Data on Dietary Behavior

Next to physical activity, it is well known that an adequate nutrition is vital for health and wellbeing (WHO, 2020b). However, while challenging engagement in PA, recent research suggests that COVID-19 confinements may impair regular nutritional habits, too (Ammar et al., 2020). These suggestions are based on observations that appetite control may be affected through physical inactivity directly (Blundell et al., 2003) as well as indirectly through worsened mental health (Kirwan et al., 2020) which could result in deviating from regular healthy eating behaviors. Indeed, the Association of UK Dietitians discussed the potential of social isolation, as observed with remote work, to negatively affect physical and mental health, i.e. increasing stress and anxiety (BDA, 2020). Seeming to support a relationship between physical and mental health, physical inactivity may negatively impact sleep quality and duration (Tseng et al., 2020; Yang et al., 2012), perceived stress levels and anxiety (Casagrande et al., 2020; Forte et al., 2020) while potentially increasing appetite and weight gain (Morselli et al., 2010). In support, results of a recent survey by Casagrande and colleagues showed higher distress levels in 41.8%, higher anxiety levels in 32.1% and worsened sleep quality in 57.1% of participants during COVID-19 confinements (Casagrande et al., 2020). Further research reports that outcomes of these conditions may even reach magnitudes similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 29.5% of a population (Forte et al., 2020). Elevated levels of stress and anxiety, potentially a result of reduced sleep duration and/or quality, may further impact health behaviors negatively (Kirwan et al., 2020) and have the potential to further increase appetite (Morselli et al., 2010). In fact, a regular lack of sleep was shown to result in a significant increase in adverse health behaviors such as physical inactivity, heavy drinking, and smoking (Strine & Chapman, 2005). In further support, those who experience stress, anxiety and depression are more likely to disengage in health-promoting behaviors including eating breakfast and consuming vegetables (Walsh et al., 2013). As such, to cope with stress, negative emotions and increased appetite levels, eating behaviors may be manipulated by many people (Timmerman & Acton, 2001). Indeed, authors suggested that during periods of higher perceived psychological stress people are more likely to choose highly palatable foods that are both high in sugar and/or fat and nutrient dense (Gibson, 2006), reducing diet quality and overall protein intake simultaneously (Rauber et al., 2018). In line with these findings, a study by Scarmozzino & Visioli (2020) reported for 46.1% of participants larger intakes of high-calorie foods such as desserts and salty snacks. Further research reported larger consumptions of the same high-calorie foods (Pietrobelli et al., 2020) as well as an average increase of 1.15 meals per day. Larger consumptions of hyperpalatable foods may simultaneously increase appetite even further as recent models suggest (Grannell et al., 2019). Thereafter, while larger amounts of ultra-processed foods are consumed, protein proportions within the diet may be lower. Attempting to maintain regular levels of protein intake, appetite may be increased to compensate for this (Hall, 2019). Further confirming these findings, more recent research by Ammar et al. (2020) observed that food consumption was showing signs of unhealthy patterns, i.e. food choice, eating control, snacking and meal frequency. Despite attempts by the WHO to guide diet behavior (WHO, 2020b), evidence shows that COVID-19 confinements negatively affect eating behaviors, as food qualities decrease while food quantities increase in people’s diet. Overall, as previously suggested by many authors, COVID-19 confinements may result in increased appetite, consuming larger amounts of foods, ultimately leading to weight gain which further entails many health risks (Kirwan et al., 2020).

Even though more research is needed to fully identity the magnitude of impacts through COVID-19 confinements, i.e. social isolation, remote working, the current body of literature shows clear tendencies to negative health consequences to the individual. In fact, a review by Kirwan et al. (2020) divides those consequences into lifestyle and behavior changes, which were explained above. Summarizing these changes, there are decreased physical activity and exercise as well as worsened mental health and eating behaviors (Kirwan et al., 2020). The next paragraph will elaborate what effects this change in lifestyle behaviors may have to the individual and ultimately discuss its potential impact on corporate performance.