Comparative Study on Nutrition and Lifestyle of Information Technology Workers from Romania before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 14; no. 6; p. 1202
• Main Authors: Nasui, Bogdana Adriana, Toth, Andreea, Popescu, Codruta Alina, Penes, Ovidiu Nicolae, Varlas, Valentin Nicolae, Ungur, Rodica Ana, Ciuciuc, Nina, Silaghi, Cristina Alina, Silaghi, Horatiu, Pop, Anca Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 12.03.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Alcohol; Behavior; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; Body weight gain; Comparative studies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Diet; Disease transmission; Exercise; Female; Food; Food intake; Fruits; Humans; Information Technology; IT workers; Life Style; lifestyle; Lifestyles; Loneliness; Male; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutritional Status; Obesity; pandemic; Pandemics; Physical activity; pre-pandemic; Public health; Questionnaires; Romania - epidemiology; Screen time; Self evaluation; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sleep; Social distancing; Weight control; Working hours; Romania; sleep; stress; IT workers; pre-pandemic; screen time; diet; pandemic; lifestyle; physical activity
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14061202

The study aimed to evaluate lifestyle factors among Information Technology (IT) workers from Romania before and during the pandemic. We used an online applied questionnaire, filled in by 1638 respondents, that assessed nutrition status-Body Mass Index (BMI), weight and diet change, physical activity, alcohol consumption, number of hours working in front of the computer, stress, and sleep. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the lifestyle factors that lead to weight gain. Although the level of physical activity (PA) was low before the pandemic, the results of our study showed a further decrease in physical activity. In total, 61.1% of men and 71.1% of women performed PA for less than 30 min per day. Weight gain was reported in 50.5% of men and 45.3% of women (mean weight gain was 5.11 ± 3.52 kg) as a result of increased screen time (with a mean of 3.52 ± 4.29 for females and 3.05 ± 2.09 for males, p > 0.05 h per day) and the reported changes in diet. Despite the popularity of home-cooked foods, the intake of vegetables and fruit remained low. The quality of sleep was poor for 55.7% of the respondents. Public health and corporation policies are required to encourage a healthy lifestyle and avoid chronic diseases.