Nutrition knowledge, food choices and diet quality of genotyped and non-genotyped individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Issue 4 (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kapellou, Angeliki; Silva, Gabriela; Pilic, Leta; Mavrommatis, Yiannis
• Is Part Of: Nutrition and health. Volume 28:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 693
• Page End: 700
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Nutrition knowledge -- food choices -- dietary intakes -- diet quality -- behaviour change -- genotype-based advice -- personalised nutrition -- COVID-19; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Diet -- Periodicals; Diet therapy -- Periodicals; 613.205
• DOI: 10.1177/02601060211026834
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-1060

Abstract

Background: Severe obesity (body mass index ≥ 40 kg/m 2 ) and non-communicable diseases, both influenced by diet, have been associated with COVID-19. Genotype-based personalised nutrition advice may improve nutrition knowledge and enhance behaviour change towards better diet quality compared with conventional recommendations.Aim: To investigate the nutrition knowledge, food choices and diet quality in genotyped and non-genotyped individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: One hundred and twenty-three healthy UK adults were recruited using convenience sampling through social networks. The online questionnaire consisted of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire, the Food Choices Questionnaire, and the EPIC-Norfolk Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). FFQ was used to calculate participant diet quality with the Diet Quality Index-International and socio-demographic and anthropometric data.Results: Median general nutrition knowledge, diet variety and diet balance scores were higher in genotyped compared with non-genotyped individuals (71.0 ± 11.0 vs . 61.0 ± 15.0, p = <.001, 18.00 ± 5.00 vs . 15.00 ± 5.00, p = .007 and 2.00 ± 4.00 vs . 0.00 ± 2.00, p = .025, respectively). Pooled sample multiple regression showed that health motive positively influenced while familiarity motive negatively influenced diet quality index scores ( β = .428, t = 4.822, p = <.001 and β = –.356, t = –4.021, p = .001, respectively).Conclusions: Nutrition knowledge and diet quality indices of balance and variety were higher among genotyped compared with non-genotyped individuals; overall diet quality was similar between groups. This may be due to pandemic-specific factors, such as altered motives of food choice and availability.