Estado nutricional y niveles de ansiedad durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Regular physical activity is related to many factors in a university student’s environment. The coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown have restricted many elements of our environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour at two points in time: before and during the coronavirus lockdown. As a secondary aim, we also wanted to look at changes resulting from other factors (alcohol, tobacco, diet, stages of change, symptoms of anxiety/depression and sociodemographic characteristics). We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, pre-post study with two cut-off points. Two hundred and thirteen students took part in the study. The main dependent variables were physical activity and sitting time, measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Parametric and non-parametric tests were used for paired and unpaired data, as well as group-stratified analysis. During lockdown, both weekly physical activity (MD: −159.87; CI: −100.44, −219.31) and weekly sitting time increased (MD: −106.76; CI: −71.85, −141.67). In the group analysis, differences were observed in relation to gender, year of study, BMI, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, symptoms of anxiety/depression, Mediterranean diet, living situation and stage of change. The results showed an increase in both physical activity and sitting time globally and by group.

Resumen Introducción: existe evidencia creciente que relaciona la alimentación con la salud psicológica de la población adulta. Esta asociación no se ha explorado suficientemente entre los estudiantes universitarios. Objetivos: los objetivos de este estudio fueron analizar la calidad de la dieta en una población universitaria y cuantificar su asociación con la prevalencia de ansiedad, depresión, estrés e insomnio. Métodos: estudio descriptivo transversal sobre una muestra de 1055 estudiantes universitarios. Se utilizaron tres cuestionarios validados el Índice de Alimentación Saludable (IAS), la escala breve de Depresión, Ansiedad y Estrés (DASS-21) y el Índice de Severidad del Insomnio. Resultados: la puntuación media del IAS fue de 68,57 ± 12,17. La prevalencia de la alimentación no saludable fue del 82,3%, mayor en las mujeres (84,8% vs. 76,4%). La alimentación no saludable se relacionó de forma significativa con la prevalencia de ansiedad, depresión y estrés. El consumo excesivo de dulces y el bajo de lácteos se asociaron a una mayor prevalencia de alteraciones psicológicas y del sueño. Conclusiones: los patrones alimentarios no saludables son comunes en la población universitaria y se relacionan con la presencia de ansiedad, estrés y depresión. Las intervenciones educativas dirigidas a disminuir el consumo de alimentos no saludables en estudiantes universitarios pueden conllevar una mejora de la salud psicológica y/o viceversa.

The current epidemic of COVID-19 has gained attention and highlighted the need for a better understanding of the population's mental health. Diet has been identified as an environmental determinant of mental health. In this regard, it has been suggested that the consumption of palatable foods represents a strategy to mitigate negative emotions, such as anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the association between symptoms of anxiety and/or anhedonia to food consumption patterns during the period of COVID-19 quarantine in Chile. We conducted a cross-sectional study with non-randomized sampling via an online survey. A total of 1725 responses were collected. Each person self-answered the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale for anhedonia, the Food Intake Questionnaire, and questions regarding type and duration of lockdown, as well as body weight and food serving variation. Significant correlations were observed between fried food consumption and self-reported body weight. The subjects who consumed fried food three times a week, had higher weight (63.5%) (χ2 = 48.5 and p < 0.001). Those who ate one and two or more pastries on a week had 1.41 and 1.49, respectively higher odds of reporting increased body weight. We found a relationship anxiety level and sugar-sweetened beverages level (χ2 = 25.5; p 0.013), fast food intake (χ2 = 63.4; p < 0.001), and pastry consumption (χ2 = 37.7; p < 0.001). In conclusion, it is important to monitor the evolution of these findings since they could represent a risk of increased health problems in the future post-lockdown period.