Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on our lives and society, influencing both individuals’ lifestyles and habits. Recent research shows that anxiety and loneliness have continued to rise, along with changes in food and lifestyle choices. The aim of the study was to investigate whether t...
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crplos:10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 2024-10-06T13:50:07+00:00 Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health Jakobsdottir, Greta Stefansdottir, Runa Sif Gestsdottir, Sunna Stefansson, Vignir Johannsson, Erlingur Rognvaldsdottir, Vaka Gisladottir, Thordis Lilja Khraisat, Omar M. Public Health Fund of the Directory of Health in Iceland 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 en eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ PLOS ONE volume 18, issue 6, page e0286345 ISSN 1932-6203 journal-article 2023 crplos https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 2024-09-10T04:18:01Z The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on our lives and society, influencing both individuals’ lifestyles and habits. Recent research shows that anxiety and loneliness have continued to rise, along with changes in food and lifestyle choices. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the pandemic influenced food choices and consumption of energy drinks, alcohol, fruits, and vegetables among first-year university students. Additionally, assessing the relationship between mental and physical health, physical activity, and food choices. A total of 128 male and 128 female first-year students at the University of Iceland were invited to answer an electronic questionnaire in January and early February 2021. A total of 118 students (54% men) participated in the study and valid answers were 115 (46% participation rate). Almost half of the students (44%) experienced that their food choices had worsened, while 14% reported an improvement, compared to before the pandemic. Consumption of caffeinated beverages increased for 26% of students, while 19% experienced a decrease. Just over half of the students reported not drinking alcohol (13%) or reduced consumption (41%). Participants who reported that their mental health had deteriorated or remained the same tended to spend less time on physical activity and experienced worsened food choices (p<0.05). Similarly, those who spent less or the same time on physical activity estimated that their food choices had deteriorated (p<0.05). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lifestyles of university students and this study has revealed how lifestyle choices and mental health seem to be highly affected by one another. Additionally, the potentially harmful effects of excessive intake of energy drinks need to be enhanced. Interestingly, about 40% of the respondents in the current study drank less alcohol during the pandemic than prior to the pandemic, indicating a strong relationship between alcohol drinking and social gatherings. This study ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland PLOS PLOS ONE 18 6 e0286345 |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on our lives and society, influencing both individuals’ lifestyles and habits. Recent research shows that anxiety and loneliness have continued to rise, along with changes in food and lifestyle choices. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the pandemic influenced food choices and consumption of energy drinks, alcohol, fruits, and vegetables among first-year university students. Additionally, assessing the relationship between mental and physical health, physical activity, and food choices. A total of 128 male and 128 female first-year students at the University of Iceland were invited to answer an electronic questionnaire in January and early February 2021. A total of 118 students (54% men) participated in the study and valid answers were 115 (46% participation rate). Almost half of the students (44%) experienced that their food choices had worsened, while 14% reported an improvement, compared to before the pandemic. Consumption of caffeinated beverages increased for 26% of students, while 19% experienced a decrease. Just over half of the students reported not drinking alcohol (13%) or reduced consumption (41%). Participants who reported that their mental health had deteriorated or remained the same tended to spend less time on physical activity and experienced worsened food choices (p<0.05). Similarly, those who spent less or the same time on physical activity estimated that their food choices had deteriorated (p<0.05). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lifestyles of university students and this study has revealed how lifestyle choices and mental health seem to be highly affected by one another. Additionally, the potentially harmful effects of excessive intake of energy drinks need to be enhanced. Interestingly, about 40% of the respondents in the current study drank less alcohol during the pandemic than prior to the pandemic, indicating a strong relationship between alcohol drinking and social gatherings. This study ... |
author2 |
Khraisat, Omar M. Public Health Fund of the Directory of Health in Iceland |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jakobsdottir, Greta Stefansdottir, Runa Sif Gestsdottir, Sunna Stefansson, Vignir Johannsson, Erlingur Rognvaldsdottir, Vaka Gisladottir, Thordis Lilja |
spellingShingle |
Jakobsdottir, Greta Stefansdottir, Runa Sif Gestsdottir, Sunna Stefansson, Vignir Johannsson, Erlingur Rognvaldsdottir, Vaka Gisladottir, Thordis Lilja Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
author_facet |
Jakobsdottir, Greta Stefansdottir, Runa Sif Gestsdottir, Sunna Stefansson, Vignir Johannsson, Erlingur Rognvaldsdottir, Vaka Gisladottir, Thordis Lilja |
author_sort |
Jakobsdottir, Greta |
title |
Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
title_short |
Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
title_full |
Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
title_fullStr |
Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
title_full_unstemmed |
Changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
title_sort |
changes in health-related lifestyle choices of university students before and during the covid-19 pandemic: associations between food choices, physical activity and health |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
PLOS ONE volume 18, issue 6, page e0286345 ISSN 1932-6203 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286345 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
e0286345 |
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1812178190752284672 |