The Challenges and Strategies towards Healthy Eating during COVID-19 Home Confinement Period among Working Adults with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 Enrolled in a Weight Loss Program: Qualitative Findings

Siti Munirah Abdul Basir, Zahara Abdul Manaf, Norhayati Mohd. Noor, Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin, Suzana Shahar and Mohd Rizal Abdul Manaf
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Siti Munirah Abdul Basir: Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness and Dietetic Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Selangor, Malaysia
Zahara Abdul Manaf: Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness and Dietetic Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Selangor, Malaysia
Norhayati Mohd. Noor: Center of Community Education and Wellbeing, Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin: Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness and Biomedical Science Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Selangor, Malaysia
Suzana Shahar: Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness and Dietetic Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Selangor, Malaysia
Mohd Rizal Abdul Manaf: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Selangor, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting our lifestyles, such as work, living, and health. In Malaysia, the Restriction of Movement Order (RMO) was first announced in March 2020 to curb the spread of the virus. Since then, many Malaysians have been confined to their own home. This new lifestyle can cause a change of eating habits where healthy eating may be a challenge. Hence, our qualitative study explored the challenges and strategies for healthy eating during the first wave of the COVID-19 home confinement period among working adults overweight and obese in Malaysia. Eleven participants were individually interviewed through phone calls. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then coded with NVIVO 12 based on thematic analysis. We found that social pressure, changes in the social setting, more free time to access food, and extra stock of unhealthy foods at home were among the challenges to healthy eating. Some participants countered these perceived challenges by reducing unhealthy food stock, limiting kitchen visits, and utilizing self-monitoring apps to monitor their calorie intake. Social media was not consistently perceived to influence their eating behavior during this period. We conclude that COVID-19 home confinement has created challenges to healthy eating habits among overweight and obese adults with overweight and obesity. Our study provides evidence that vulnerable groups such as overweight and obese individuals require specific nutritional support during pandemic-related confinement to enhance eating self-efficacy.

Keywords: healthy eating; challenges; strategies; COVID-19 home confinement; Social Cognitive Theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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