COVID-19 Lockdown and Changes of the Dietary Pattern and Physical Activity Habits in a Cohort of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 12; no. 8; p. 2327
• Main Authors: Ruiz-Roso, María Belén, Knott-Torcal, Carolina, Matilla-Escalante, Diana C, Garcimartín, Alba, Sampedro-Nuñez, Miguel A, Dávalos, Alberto, Marazuela, Mónica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 04.08.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Betacoronavirus; Body mass index; Confinement; Consent; Coronavirus Infections - complications; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - psychology; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Craving; Dairy products; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Diet; Disease; Exercise; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food; Food consumption; Habits; Health policy; Hemoglobin; Hospitals; Humans; Legumes; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Pandemics; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Pneumonia, Viral - complications; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - psychology; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Population; Psychological effects; Public health; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Sedentary Behavior; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Shelter in place; Snacks; Social Isolation; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States > US; Spain; COVID-19; lockdown; type 2 diabetes mellitus; diet; food cravings; physical activity
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12082327

The COVID-19 lockdown clearly affected the lifestyle of the population and entailed changes in their daily habits, which involved potential health consequences, especially on patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to examine the impact of the lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic on both nutrition and exercise habits, as well as the psychological effects in patients with T2DM, compared to their usual diet and physical activity level previous to the complete home confinement. We also intended to analyse any potential variables that may have influenced these lifestyle modifications. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Food Craving Questionnaire-State (FCQ-S) and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) were used. Our results showed an increase in vegetable, sugary food and snack consumption. An association between levels of foods cravings and snack consumption was also found. Data also showed a high percentage of physical inactivity before the COVID-19 lockdown, which was exacerbated during the home confinement. These findings emphasise the great importance to do further research with larger study samples to analyse and explore dietary habits and to develop public health policies to promote a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and physical activity in these patients, especially after this strict period of lockdown.