Health-promoting behaviors in the United States during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. (1st January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cummings, Jenna R.; Wolfson, Julia A.; Gearhardt, Ashley N.
• Is Part Of: Appetite. Volume 168(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01-01
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Health-promoting behaviors -- Stress; Food habits -- Periodicals; Appetite -- Periodicals; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105659
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6663

Abstract

Abstract: The potential negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-compromising behaviors including overeating, processed food intake, and alcohol use have been well documented. However, it is possible the COVID-19 pandemic has had positive effects on some health-promoting behaviors like cooking and fruit and vegetable intake. The current study was a preregistered secondary data analysis using data from a U.S. national, crowdsourced study ( n = 868) on eating behaviors during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of the current study were to compare levels of cooking, fruit and vegetable intake, and physical activity among U.S. adults during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to pre-pandemic levels in reference groups of U.S. adults, and test whether subjective stress from the pandemic was associated with health-promoting behaviors by obesity status. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants cooked more often and ate 0.23 more cups of fruits and vegetables per day, but 28.8% fewer participants met federal physical activity guidelines. Greater COVID-19 stress was minimally to moderately associated with greater cooking, fruit and vegetable intake, and physical activity. The positive association between COVID-19 stress and fruit and vegetable intake was stronger for individuals with obesity. The COVID-19 pandemic might have encouraged U.S. adults, especially those at risk for complications, to engage in some health-promoting behaviors while creating barriers for other behaviors.