Exploring Dietary Behavior Changes Due to the COVID-19 Confinement in Colombia: A National and Regional Survey Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of coronavirus SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19) confinement measures in Colombia on the dietary behaviors of a large population sample, at national and regional levels. A survey was conducted to assess dietary behaviors during the COVID-19 confinement. The survey involved 2,745 participants, aged 18 years or older, from six regions of the country (Atlántica, Bogotá, Central, Oriental, Orinoquía and Amazonía, and Pacífica). Dietary intake of foods and foods groups in grams per day before and during the confinement was estimated by considering standard serving sizes of foods. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze differences between the regions with regard to dietary behavior changes during the confinement. Differences were deemed significant at p-value < 0.05. Dietary patterns (DPs) before and during the confinement were derived from principal component analysis. Certain dietary habits were adopted by the study population during the confinement (e.g., higher frequency of snacking and home cooking), with significant differences by regions with regard to these habits, as well as regarding culinary processes. The levels of consumption of several foods also changed during the confinement, nationally and regionally. We identified three DPs before the confinement (protein-rich, carbohydrate-rich, and sugar foods patterns) and four DPs during the confinement (westernized, carbohydrate-rich, protein-rich, fish and fruits-vegetable patterns), with an explained total variance of 33 and 45%, respectively. The profile of these DPs varied to some extent between the regions; their adherence to each DP also varied (p-value < 0.001). Our results show that there were marked differences by regions in the dietary behaviors of this population during the confinement, with an overall trend toward unhealthier DPs. These results may help to shape public health nutrition interventions in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a post-COVID stage.

Impact of Nationwide Lockdowns Resulting from the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Intake, Eating Behaviors, and Diet Quality: A Systematic Review

“…An increase in red and processed meat consumption from 20.0% to 51.1% was reported by 14 investigations ( 4 , 22 , 31 , 33 , 35 , 38 , 43 , 45 , 61 , 62 , 77 , 95 , 96 , 113 ), whereas 17 studies pointed to a decreasing consumption from 6.7% to 24.4% ( 20 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 32 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 65 , 76 , 78 , 90 , 110 , 111 ). Olive oil was consistently found to be increased from 12.4% to 12.6% in all studies addressing this issue ( 25 , 33 , 60 , 65 , 111 ) As reported by 19 studies ( 4 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 32 , 35 , 41–44 , 60 , 63 , 67 , 76 , 77 , 86 , 110 , 111 , 113 ), fish and seafood intakes significantly decreased from 9.4% to 31.3%; conversely, only 6 studies observed an increase ( 33 , 45 , 59 , 65 , 81 , 95 ).…”

“…Sharp changes were observed also for legumes, with 17 studies registering increased consumption from 10.9% to 21.9% ( 4 , 25 , 26 , 33 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 60 , 65 , 76 , 86 , 89 , 90 , 95 , 96 , 111 ); in contrast, a reduction from 9.9% to 25.9% was observed in only 4 of the included studies ( 22 , 59 , 82 , 99 ). An increase in red and processed meat consumption from 20.0% to 51.1% was reported by 14 investigations ( 4 , 22 , 31 , 33 , 35 , 38 , 43 , 45 , 61 , 62 , 77 , 95 , 96 , 113 ), whereas 17 studies pointed to a decreasing consumption from 6.7% to 24.4% ( 20 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 32 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 65 , 76 , 78 , 90 , 110 , 111 ).…”

“…With regard to changes in food intake, increased consumption of fruit and vegetables was reported by 31 studies ( 20 , 22 , 25 , 27 , 29 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 45 , 49 , 52 , 54 , 60–63 , 65 , 71 , 76 , 83 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 92 , 94–96 , 103 , 111 , 113 ), whereas a decrease was found in 8 studies ( 59 , 73 , 77 , 82 , 86 , 91 , 99 , 110 ). However, some ( 4 , 26 , 81 ) found an increase only in vegetable consumption, as opposed to a decrease in fruit intake, while a French study ( 44 ) found a decrease in fresh fruit and vegetable consumption but an increase in canned and frozen vegetables.…”

“…Studies were mostly carried out in Europe, with the highest number recorded in Italy ( 4 , 20–30 ) and Spain ( 31–37 ) followed by Poland ( 38–43 ), France ( 44–48 ), the United Kingdom ( 49–53 ), Belgium ( 54 , 55 ), Greece ( 56 , 57 ), The Netherlands ( 58 ), Denmark ( 59 ), Croatia ( 60 ), Romania ( 61 ), Albania ( 62 ), Lithuania ( 63 ), Scotland ( 64 ), Cyprus ( 65 ), and Germany ( 66 ). Outside Europe, other surveys were conducted in Kuwait ( 67 ), the United Arab Emirates ( 68 , 69 ), Saudi Arabia ( 70–73 ), Jordan ( 74 , 75 ), Iraqi Kurdistan ( 76 ), the United States ( 77–80 ), Canada ( 81 ), Brazil ( 82–84 ), Mexico ( 85 ), Colombia ( 86 ), Chile ( 87 ), Ecuador ( 88 ), Uruguay ( 89 ), Peru ( 90 ), Zimbabwe ( 91 ), China ( 92–95 ), India ( 96 , 97 ), Nepal ( 98 ), New Zealand ( 99 ), and Australia ( 100 , 101 ). Other studies were conducted as international surveys ( 102–113 ).…”

Changes in Vegetable Consumption in Times of COVID-19—First Findings From an International Civil Science Project

“…However, the nutrient values of vegetables can vary thousandfold among different varieties of the same food (23). Many studies on Covid-19 and dietary changes looked at overall changes in food purchasing patterns, consumption and lifestyle only and paid little attention to dietary diversity or even diversity within a food group (6,8,9,12,24). The "Food systems in times of COVID19" (COVID-Food systems) project aimed to identify how the observed constraints affect the food systems and dietary behaviour of populations across the globe.…”