Effects of Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Anxiety and Eating Behavior—A Longitudinal Study

Frontiers in Psychology

Anna Cecília Queiroz de Medeiros¹  Fívia de Araújo Lopes²  Fernanda da Fonseca Freitas³ 

[1] Health Sciences College of Trairi, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Cruz, Brazil;Post-Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil;Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil;Post-Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil;Health Sciences College of Trairi, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Cruz, Brazil;

关键词: COVID-19;    social isolation;    confinement;    dietary behavior;    mental health;    human evolution;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.645754

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

As social animals, humans need to live in groups. This contact with conspecifics is essential for their evolution and survival. Among the recommendations to reduce transmission of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for COVID-19 are social distancing and home confinement. These measures may negatively affect the social life and, consequently, the emotional state and eating behavior of individuals. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety, premenstrual symptoms, and eating behavior of young women. Data collection was conducted in person (prepandemic—from March to December 2019) and online (during the pandemic—August 2020). A total of 71 participants, average age of 21.26 years (SD = 0.41), took part in the study. Trait anxiety during the pandemic was significantly lower than in the prepandemic period. Investigation of the “anxiety/stress” symptom of the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) revealed that this symptom was more severe before the pandemic. There was a decline in the desire for sweet and fatty foods during the pandemic. However, craving for traditional foods rose significantly in the same period. Uncontrolled and emotional eating were significantly lower during the pandemic. The results suggest that the pandemic may have had a positive impact on anxiety and eating behavior of the participants, which may be due to differences between urban and rural populations and the latter living with their families. These findings are important for raising a discussion regarding the effects of the current environment on the regulation of cognitive and dietary adaptations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY