Changes in fast food intake in Iranian households during the lockdown period caused by COVID‐19 virus emergency, National Food and Nutrition Surveillance

Food Science & Nutrition

卷:10

Mina Minaie¹  Farzaneh Sadeghi Ghotbabadi¹  Zahra Abdollahi¹  Maryam Amini²  Bahareh Nikooyeh²  Tirang R. Neyestani²  Delaram Ghodsi²  Hamid Rasekhi²  Samira Rabiei²  Azam Doustmohammadian³ 

[1] Department of Community Nutrition Deputy of Health Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education Tehran Iran;

[2] Department of Nutrition Research National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute and Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran;

[3] Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GILDRC) Iran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran;

关键词: COVID‐19;    dietary habits;    fast foods;    Iran;    lockdown;   

DOI  :  10.1002/fsn3.2644

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Fast foods, though very popular, are commonly known as unhealthy foods. However, coronavirus pandemic may have influenced on food choices of the general population. This study investigated the changes in fast food consumption during epidemic lockdown 2020. Materials and Methods This study was part of a nationwide survey having been conducted using a web‐based electronic self‐administered questionnaire. The questionnaire link was extensively distributed among the whole population both through popular social media platforms and by nutrition and health workers of health offices and medical universities of all provinces. The questionnaire included questions about socio‐demographic characteristics, changes in frequency of fast food consumption as compared with before pandemic, and the reasons for these changes. Results A total of 21,290 households took part in the study of whom 89.8% were male‐headed, and almost 74% were from urban areas. Decrease in fast food consumption was reported by 74.8%, while increase in fast food consumption was reported by 2% of the households during the COVID‐19 quarantine. Among those who decreased their fast food consumption, about 82% had completely omitted them from their food baskets. Fear of contamination of fast foods by coronavirus and increase in the number of people at home were the most and the least frequent reasons for decreasing fast food consumption, respectively. Conclusion Fast food consumption has dramatically decreased during the lockdown period in Iranian households. Though it may be considered a pleasant offshoot of disastrous COVID‐19 epidemic, the foods replaced fast foods in Iranian households and the overall health consequences warrant further studies.

【 授权许可】

Unknown