A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study of the Consequences of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Women’s Health Behaviors in Spain

Abstract

Changes in health habits were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unequal distribution of responsibilities may have generated unequal levels of stress in men and women, and, therefore, this may have led to different impacts on their health habits during lockdown. This study aimed to analyze the changes in eating habits, physical activity, sleep, and body weight in women, compared to men, because of lockdown. A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out. 2834 Spanish volunteers aged 19 to 76 completed an online survey on health habits. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using a cross-sectional methodology to explore gender differences. Results showed that men maintained their health habits to a greater extent, performing the same physical activity, while maintaining the quantity and quality of sleep, the quality of the diet, the quantity of the intake, and their mealtimes and body weight, whereas women’s eating habits changed in relation to the quality of their diet and mealtimes, as their food intake and weight increased, and their sleep was poorer in quality and duration than it was before lockdown. This could be due to the higher levels of anxiety experienced by women as a result of working on essential jobs in addition to taking on more unpaid work associated with care and housework.

Dietary trends among young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown: socioeconomic and gender disparities

“…Meanwhile, women’s overrepresentation among participants who gained weight during the pandemic reflects a globally and historically recognized problem concerning women’s over representation among the obese and severely obese [ 37 , 78 ]. It lends support to other studies that have raised alarm about women’s increased vulnerability to psychological distress during the pandemic [ 36 , 83 ], barriers to healthy eating including eating disorders, sleep disruptions, and fluctuations in weight [ 35 , 48 ], and risks to bodily health, including cardiovascular disease [ 42 , 43 ].…”

“…Considerably more scholarly research has addressed gender differences in dietary concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic given sociocultural norms around household responsibilities and caregiving, and pre-existing gender-based vulnerabilities to stress, depression, and other diseases [ 35 – 37 ]. But the results of these studies of the pandemic’s impact on gender have been mixed.…”

The Covid‐19 pandemic and publishing in nutrition and dietetics

“…3 This was sadly not true of many papers published on a similar theme. 13,14 The other Covid-19 papers in JHND all had a specific focus that made them more broadly useful. These included a focus on optimising nutrition care of patients hospitalised by Covid-19, 1 the impact of control measures on the nutritionally vulnerable 5 and controversies around vitamin D in population groups at heightened risk of Covid-19 related hospitalisation and death.…”

“…Similar to many other journals, we did publish one study 3 that would fall into the reporting of the ‘obvious findings’ category, although it did include a sizeable population and estimated dietary intakes using robust measures 3 . This was sadly not true of many papers published on a similar theme 13,14 . The other Covid‐19 papers in JHND all had a specific focus that made them more broadly useful.…”

Multiple health-related behaviours among Fly-In Fly-Out workers in the mining industry in Australia: A cross-sectional survey during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Other studies have also reported increased smoking and alcohol use among men compared to women [ 20 , 22 , 25 – 27 ] during the pandemic. Furthermore, a study established more women than men reported increases in the amount of food intake and weight and poorer sleep quality and duration during lockdown periods [ 28 ]. Evidence has indicated that women are more vulnerable to experiencing pandemic-induced psychological distress [ 29 ] and for instance, may use alcohol to cope with stress as compared to men [ 30 ].…”