COVID-19 Pandemic Has Worsened Dietary and Physical Activity Among Students

COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the already poor dietary habits, low activity levels, sedentary behavior, and high alcohol consumption among university students.

COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the already poor dietary habits, low activity levels, sedentary behavior, and high alcohol consumption among university students, as per a study at the University of Saskatchewan, published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism.

"Our findings are important because university students, especially those most vulnerable for poor nutrition and sedentary behavior, should be targeted for interventions aimed at maintaining and improving physical activity and dietary practices during this pandemic and beyond," says lead author and nutrition professor Gordon Zello.

‘COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the already poor dietary habits, low activity levels, sedentary behavior, and high alcohol consumption among university students. It is therefore important to target these groups for interventions that improve physical activity and dietary practices during this pandemic and beyond.’

Pandemic Effects on Students

The study involved 125 graduate and undergraduate students at USask and the University of Regina for a period of four months, who were responsible for buying and preparing their own meals. The students had to respond to an online questionnaire about their food and drink consumption, physical activity and sedentary behavior before and during the pandemic.

It was observed that the quantity of food consumed by the students every day had reduced by 20 per cent less meat, 44 per cent less dairy, and 45 per cent fewer vegetables during the pandemic compared to before.

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"This dietary inadequacy combined with long hours of sedentary behavior and decreased physical activity could increase health risks in this unique population during COVID-19 confinement and once the pandemic ends," says Zello.

Several reasons such as psychological distress, increased consumption of alcohol, lack of exercise and increased sedentariness have been linked to poor diet quality. These may be contributed by the implemented measures like closures of stores, gyms and other recreational facilities, in a fight against COVID spread.

While only 16 per cent of participants were meeting Canadian guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week before the pandemic. The count further decreased to 9.6 per cent during the pandemic and the number of hours spent in sedentary behavior rose by 3 to 11 hours a day.

Lack of physical activity like walking also remains a contributing factor due to shift of remote learning platforms by universities. This necessitates the need for measures to restore the physical well-being among these populations.

Source-Medindia