Lifestyle Changes Related to Eating Habits, Physical Activity, and Weight Status During COVID-19 Quarantine in Italy and Some European Countries

Abstract

Novel human coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious respiratory disease, has affected more than 50 million people around the world up to November 2020, thereby becoming the fifth documented pandemic since the Spanish flu in 1918. SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in China and evolved for 4 months within the country before becoming a global threat. There is currently no drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for which efficacy on the virus has been proved. Therefore, the only strategy against this virus is to apply measures that are capable of reducing its spread, such as isolation and quarantine, social distancing, community-wide containment, and strict enforcement of hygiene. Quarantine has proved to be effective in combating the spread of the virus; however, it has inevitably led to a radical change in the lives of people. Studies have been conducted in Italy and some European countries to highlight the role that quarantine has played in determining the lifestyle changes both in eating habits and physical activity and their possible correlation with increase in weight. The selection criteria involved answering a questionnaire that included information on the weight status and at least one of the other two aspects: changes in eating habits and/or physical activity during the quarantine period. The results obtained indicate, in general, that the negative effect of quarantine was on eating habits and physical activity. This was based on the observation that there has been an increase in food consumption and a reduction in physical activity with a consequent increase in weight.

Lifestyle Modification Program on a Metabolically Healthy Elderly Population with Overweight/Obesity, Young-Old vs. Old-Old. CONSEQUENCES of COVID-19 Lockdown in This Program

“…During Spain's lockdown, the level of PA among our population was lower than usual, in concordance with other studies [51]. Our MHOe population decreased their daily moderate-vigorous PA and increased sedentarism because going to sports centers was not permitted during lockdown.…”

Role of Body Mass and Physical Activity in Autonomic Function Modulation on Post-COVID-19 Condition: An Observational Subanalysis of Fit-COVID Study

“…Therefore, we believe that the oxidative stress and subsequent release of inflammatory cytokines that accompany SARS-CoV-2 infection could explain the alterations in the ANS in young subjects after COVID-19 in our study. Other factors explaining ANS alterations may also be attributed to behavioral changes during and after infection, such as changes in physical activity [47], nutritional status [48], and food and fluid consumption [49]. These conditions also affect the blood volume (causing hypovolemia) and cardiovascular response [5].…”

Nutrition Knowledge as a Driver of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Italy

“…The effect of COVID-19 impacted dietary practices both negatively and positively throughout Europe. Several studies reported an increase in the quality of the diet with increased consumption of healthy foods and increased AMD ( 62 , 63 ). However, the higher quantity of food consumed during the restriction period was associated with other poor lifestyle outcomes, including weight gain and limited physical activity ( 64 ).…”