The Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Staff Dietary Behaviours, Sleeping Patterns, and Well-Being: An International Comparison Study

Fatemeh Rabiee Khan (), Maher Abdelraheim Titi (), Natalia Frankowska, Katarzyna Kowalczyk, Rasmieh Alziedan, Christine Yin-Kei Lau, Karolina Biernat and Kyle Gavin Brown
Additional contact information
Fatemeh Rabiee Khan: College of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK
Maher Abdelraheim Titi: Quality Management Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh P.O. Box 7805, Saudi Arabia
Natalia Frankowska: SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Kowalczyk: The Global Public Health Network, 02-796 Warsaw, Poland
Rasmieh Alziedan: Cardiology Department, Medical College, King Fuad University, Riyadh P.O. Box 7805, Saudi Arabia
Christine Yin-Kei Lau: Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Karolina Biernat: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Public Health Department, Council House, Solihull B91 9QS, UK
Kyle Gavin Brown: College of Psychology, Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7BD, UK

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: This study assessed the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being by measuring the changes to food security, dietary behaviour, and sleeping patterns of university staff in England, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and China. Using a cross-sectional study design, participants in four universities in the respective countries were surveyed between June and July 2020. The mean age of the 902 participants was 42 years old and 67% were female. The findings indicate a reduction in emotionally driven food behaviour [t (901.00) = −20.87, p < 0.001], food acquisition location [t (901.00) = −51.55, p < 0.001], skipping meals [t (901.00) = −24, p < 0.001], and consumption of canned fruit and vegetables [t (901.00) = −10.18, p < 0.001]. However, home cooking [t (901.00) = 36.61, p < 0.001] and the food shopping experience [t (901.00) = 4.53, p < 0.001] markedly increased during lockdown. The participants had higher levels of well-being during the pandemic and experienced a significant increase in sleeping hours ( p < 0.001). Increased age and sleeping hours were positively associated with overall well-being. Conversely, emotionally driven food behaviour (i.e., buying and eating more food out of boredom/fear or anxiety) and skipping meals decreased the overall well-being. Lockdown had beneficial effects on dietary behaviours, sleeping patterns, and well-being, but there were variations between countries.

Keywords: COVID-19; lockdown; dietary behaviour; sleeping patterns; well-being; university staff; international comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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