The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Australian Adults' Food Practices. Issue 3 (17th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kombanda, Krupa Thammaiah; Margerison, Claire; Booth, Alison; Worsley, Anthony
• Is Part Of: Current developments in nutrition. Volume 6:Issue 3(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03-17
• Subjects: young adults -- coronavirus disease -- COVID-19 -- food practices -- Australia -- qualitative; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Nutrition; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 612.3
• DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzac009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2475-2991

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Young Australian adults exhibit poor food behaviors. These include increased consumption of Energy-Dense, Nutrient-Poor (EDNP) foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and low consumption of fruit and vegetables. However, little is known about how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected young Australian adults' pre-existing adverse food behaviors. Objectives: The present study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food practices by exploring views of young adults living in Australia. Methods: Through qualitative descriptive methods, data gathered through individual interviews were thematically analyzed. Participants included 38 young adults aged 18–30 y with a mean age of 24.1 y (76% female). Results: Five themes emerged: 1 ) disruption of routines, 2 ) increased flexibility, 3 ) changes in food practices, 4 ) heightened psychological distress, and 5 ) impact on future behaviors. Disruption of routines and increased flexibility associated with working/learning from home resulted in both positive and negative changes in food practices. Negative changes included increased consumption of EDNP foods, increased consumption of foods prepared outside of home, decreased purchases and consumption of fresh foods, meal skipping, and a lack of meal planning. Positive changes included an increase in home cooking; consistent weekly eating patterns; decreased consumption of EDNP foods; smaller, more frequent meals; and decreased consumption of foods prepared outside of home. Conclusions: Young Australian adults reported more negative and fewer positive changes in food practices. The observed negative changes in food practices are likely to have accentuated young Australian adults' previously known poor food behaviors. This study adds to the international literature by reporting ways that young adults implemented positive changes during the pandemic and future directions of their food practices. Abstract : This qualitative study reports ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected food practices of young Australian adults. The COVID-19 pandemic led to both positive and negative changes in food practices.