Nutritional and lifestyle changes required for minimizing the recovery period in home quarantined COVID‐19 patients of Punjab, Pakistan. Issue 9 (9th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rabail, Roshina; Saleem, Javeria; Tanveer, Zunera; Patching, Simon G.; Khalid, Abdur Rauf; Sultan, Muhammad Tauseef; Manzoor, Muhammad Faisal; Karrar, Emad; Inam‐Ur‐Raheem, Muhammad; Shabbir, Muhammad Asim; Aadil, Rana Muhammad
• Is Part Of: Food science & nutrition. Volume 9:Issue 9(2021)
• Page Start: 5036
• Page End: 5059
• Publication Date: 2021-07-09
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- lifestyle -- nutrition -- recovery -- vitamin supplements; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food -- Periodicals; Nutrition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2458
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2048-7177

Abstract

Abstract: The COVID‐19 pandemic has introduced a new battle in human history for a safe and fearless life. Therefore, this cross‐sectional survey was conducted (Punjab, Pakistan) on healthy recovered, home quarantined COVID‐19 patients to draw conclusive health support guidelines in the fight against this pandemic. COVID‐19 recovered patients ( n = 80) of age ≥14 years were randomly selected during the period November 2020 to February 2021. A nutrition and lifestyle changes questionnaire, containing ten sections and seventy questions, was completed through the telephone/WhatsApp. Data were transferred into an Excel spreadsheet and statistically analyzed by applying chi‐square, correlation, and a t test of independent values using SPSS‐16 software. The patients had an age range of 14 to 80 years, of which 52 (65%) were male and 28 (35%) were female, and 32 (40%) had a normal BMI. The patients had a peak COVID‐19 recovery period of 2 weeks, and a mean recovery period of 2.8 ± 1.4 weeks. Certain variables, including gender (males), age (>40 years), sleep (≤5 hr), less/no physical activity, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune diseases, were significantly associated with delayed recovery. Poor nutritional outcomes, including lower intakes of water, legumes, nuts, meat, and milk/yogurt; and higher consumption of fast/fried/junk/spicy foods and cold water/drinks, were also significantly associated with a longer recovery period. The results were similar for not taking daily doses of multivitamins, and vitamins C, D, E, and zinc. This study identified that staying physically active, maintaining sensible body weight, having a sleep of 7 hr, consuming more foods of plant origin especially plant‐based proteins from nuts and legumes, taking supplemental doses of multivitamins, vitamin D, E, and zinc, along with drinking ≥2 L of water daily can provide a significant role in early and safe recovery from COVID‐19. Abstract : Timely nutritional and lifestyle changes can help save us and our future generations. Based on this study, we have concluded many beneficial nutritional guidelines by examining the nutritional patterns adopted by COVID‐19 recovered home quarantined patients. A healthy lifestyle with appropriate sleep hours, steam inhalation, and physical activity could help fight COVID‐19 infection more effectively and/or more quickly.