Poor Eating Habits and Selected Determinants of Food Choice Were Associated With Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in Brazilian Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  1. Fabiana Infante Smaira
  2. Bruna Caruso Mazzolani
  3. Gabriel Perri Esteves
  4. Heloisa C. Santo André
  5. Milla Cordeiro Amarante
  6. Daniela Fernandes Castanho
  7. Karen Jennifer de Campos
  8. Fabiana Braga Benatti
  9. Ana Jéssica Pinto
  10. Hamilton Roschel
  11. Bruno Gualano
  12. Carolina Ferreira Nicoletti

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Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate possible associations between food consumption and eating habits and food choice determinants in women during COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey conducted in Brazil between June and September, 2020, during which time social distancing measures were in place.

Results: Participants ( n = 629) were aged 34.0 years and mostly within normal weight according to BMI (60.4%). “Snacking” and “liking” associated with increased energy (β = 164.27 and β = 110.24) and carbohydrate intake (β = 1.97 and β = 1.80), and with reduced protein intake (β = −1.54 and β = −1.18). In contrast, “dieting” and “weight control” associated with reduced energy (β = −162.57 and β = −111.49) and carbohydrate intake (β = −2.78 and β = −2.07), and with increased protein intake (β = 3.78 and β = 1.65). “Dieting” (β = 7.27), “need and hunger” (β = 3.34), and “health” (β = 4.94) associated with an increased consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods, whereas “replacing main meals with snacks” (β = −8.98), “snacking” (β = −6.92) and binge eating symptoms (β = −0.34) associated with reduced consumption of foods within this processing level. In contrast, “use of delivery services” (β = 3.39), “replacing main meals with snacks” (β = 5.49), “visual appeal” (β = 2.17), “social norms” (β = 2.19) and “affect regulation” (β = 2.01) associated with increased ultraprocessed food consumption. Overall, associations were more frequent and pronounced when analyzing food consumption by processing level rather than by macronutrient intake.

Conclusion: Some eating habits and food choice determinants (“snacking,” “replacing meals with snacks,” “use of delivery services”) observed during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with an unhealthy diet (high energy and carbohydrate consumption, increased ultraprocessed food consumption and reduced unprocessed/minimally processed foods consumption) in Brazilian women.

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.3389/fnut.2021.672372
  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.11.03.20225136v2 on medRxiv
  3. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.11.03.20225136: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIACUC: Data privacy and Ethics aspects: This study was approved by the local ethical committee and was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki declaration.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variableInclusion criteria were as follows: women aged ≥ 18 years, currently living in Brazil, with ability to read, and with internet access.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    However, this study is not without limitation. The use of self-reported questionnaire may imply some degree of imprecision on data reporting. Also, our sample was predominantly composed by women with high university degree, which limits the generalization of the present findings to less scholarly population. In conclusion, eating habits were largely modified during the COVID-19 outbreak among Brazilian women, irrespective of nutritional status. Nonetheless, determinants of food choice differed between nutritional statuses. Finally, we showed that determinants of food choice and psychological symptoms were associated with eating habits during the pandemic. The understanding of new eating habits and food choice determinants emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic will help tailor better policies and interventions focused on preventing the risks of food insecurity and overweight in specific populations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

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  4. Version published to 10.1101/2020.11.03.20225136v1 on medRxiv