The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating habits and the nutritional status of individuals:a review of literature

Abstract

Public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in numerous restrictions on daily life due to
social distance, isolation, and home confinement. While these measures are important to slow the spread of the virus, the
impact of these restrictions on health-related behavior and lifestyle during confinement is undefined. The present study is
a literature review on the impact of the pandemic on eating behavior and the possible weight changes related to this
process. Articles on the subject were selected from the digital databases PubMed, Academic Google, Scielo, eCov, and
ScienceDirect. It is true that social isolation caused countless restrictions to individuals' lives, such as physical activity,
socialization, and emotional well-being. All of this culminated in increasing stress levels. As a consequence, negative
emotions seem to affect the food intake and eating behavior, causing a greater demand for high-calorie and high-sodium
foods, which predisposes the individual to obesity and non-communicable chronic diseases, risk factors for the
complications of COVID-19. However, it can also lead to inappetence, which can reduce people's weight, a fact that is
also considered a risk factor for complications related to COVID-19. Therefore, it is observed that confinement impacted
the eating habits as well as the nutritional status of individuals, which may have long-term effects. However, further
scientific studies are needed in order to provide more information about this phenomenon so that intervention is early and
effective.