Lifestyle Variations during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Diet, Physical Activities, and Weight Gain among the Jordanian Adult Population

Hanan Hammouri, Fidaa Almomani, Ruwa Abdel Muhsen, Aysha Abughazzi, Rawand Daghmash, Alaa Abudayah, Inas Hasan and Eva Alzein
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Hanan Hammouri: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Fidaa Almomani: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Ruwa Abdel Muhsen: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Aysha Abughazzi: Department of English Language and Linguistics, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Rawand Daghmash: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Alaa Abudayah: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Inas Hasan: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
Eva Alzein: Department of Public Health, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: The way that COVID-19 has been handled since its inception in 2019 has had a significant impact on lifestyle-related behaviors, such as physical activities, diet, and sleep patterns. This study measures lifestyle-related behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown using a 22-item questionnaire. The responses were collected from March 2021 to September 2021. A total of four hundred and sixty-seven Jordanian participants were engaged in assessing the changes caused by the pandemic and their effect on BMI. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested for 71 participants. Cronbach’s alpha values for the questionnaire exceeded 0.7, demonstrating good reliability and internal consistency. The effect of each question regarding physical activity and dietary habits over the BMI difference was studied using ANOVA. The study shows that more than half of the participants reported snacking more between meals and increased their sitting and screen time, while 74% felt more stressed and anxious. BMI difference among the individuals throughout the lockdown was significantly associated with these variables. In contrast, 62% of the participants showed more awareness about their health by increasing the intake of immunity-boosting foods, and 56% of the participants showed an increase in the consumption of nutrition supplements. Females and married individuals tended to be healthier. Therefore, their BMI showed stability compared to others based on their gender and marital status. Exercise, sleep, and avoiding ‘junk’ food, which contributes to weight gain and COVID-19 vulnerability, are strongly recommended.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; dietary habits; BMI; nutrition; family; household; healthy food; dietary supplements intake; lifestyle; weight gain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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