Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey

Achraf Ammar^{1

2}, Michael Brach³, Khaled Trabelsi^{4

5}, Hamdi Chtourou^{4

6}, Omar Boukhris^{4

6}, Liwa Masmoudi⁴, Bassem Bouaziz⁷, Ellen Bentlage³, Daniella How³, Mona Ahmed³, Patrick Müller^{8

9}, Notger Müller^{8

9}, Asma Aloui^{6

10}, Omar Hammouda², Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos^{11

12}, Annemarie Braakman-Jansen¹³, Christian Wrede¹³, Sofia Bastoni^{13

14}, Carlos Soares Pernambuco¹⁵, Leonardo Mataruna¹⁶, Morteza Taheri¹⁷, Khadijeh Irandoust¹⁷, Aïmen Khacharem¹⁸, Nicola L Bragazzi^{19

20}, Karim Chamari^{21

22}, Jordan M Glenn²³, Nicholas T Bott²⁴, Faiez Gargouri⁷, Lotfi Chaari²⁵, Hadj Batatia²⁵, Gamal Mohamed Ali²⁶, Osama Abdelkarim^{26

27}, Mohamed Jarraya⁴, Kais El Abed⁴, Nizar Souissi⁶, Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen¹³, Bryan L Riemann²⁸, Laurel Riemann²⁹, Wassim Moalla⁴, Jonathan Gómez-Raja³⁰, Monique Epstein³¹, Robbert Sanderman³², Sebastian Vw Schulz³³, Achim Jerg³³, Ramzi Al-Horani³⁴, Taiysir Mansi³⁵, Mohamed Jmail³⁶, Fernando Barbosa³⁷, Fernando Ferreira-Santos³⁷, Boštjan Šimunič³⁸, Rado Pišot³⁸, Andrea Gaggioli^{14

39}, Stephen J Bailey⁴⁰, Jürgen M Steinacker³³, Tarak Driss⁴¹, Anita Hoekelmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Sport Science, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
² Research Laboratory, Molecular Bases of Human Pathology, LR12ES17, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
³ Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany.
⁴ High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁵ Research Laboratory: Education, Motricity, Sport and Health, EM2S, LR19JS01, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁶ Research Unit: Physical Activity, Sport, and Health, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis 1003, Tunisia.
⁷ Higher Institute of Computer Science and Multimedia of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁸ Research Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
⁹ Medical Faculty, Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
¹⁰ High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Gafsa, Gafsa 2112, Tunisia.
¹¹ Laboratório de Vibrações Mecânicas e Práticas Integrativas, LAVIMPI-UERJ, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 20950-003, Brazil.
¹² Faculdade Bezerra de Araújo, Rio de Janeiro Rj 23052-180, Brazil.
¹³ Department of Psychology, Health & Technology, University of Twente, 7522 Enschede, The Netherlands.
¹⁴ Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milano, Italy.
¹⁵ Laboratório de Fisiologia do Exercício, Estácio de Sá University, Rio de Janeiro 20261-063, Brazil.
¹⁶ College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, 503000-Dubai Academic City, Dubai, UAE.
¹⁷ Faculty of social science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin 34148-96818, Iran.
¹⁸ UVHC, DeVisu, Valenciennes, LIRTES-EA 7313, Université Paris Est Créteil Val de Marne, 94000 Créteil, France.
¹⁹ Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Postgraduate School of Public Health, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
²⁰ Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
²¹ ASPETAR, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha 29222, Qatar.
²² Laboratory "Sport Performance Optimization", (CNMSS), ISSEP Ksar-Said, Manouba University, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
²³ Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
²⁴ Clinical Excellence Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
²⁵ Computer science department, University of Toulouse, IRIT-INP-ENSEEIHT (UMR 5505), BP 7122, Toulouse, France.
²⁶ Faculty of Physical Education, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt.
²⁷ Institute for Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, 76131 Karlsruher, Germany.
²⁸ Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA.
²⁹ PharmD, BCBS, PharmIAD, Inc,Savannah, GA 30458, USA.
³⁰ FundeSalud, Dept. of Health and Social Services, Government of Extremadura, 06800 Merida, Spain.
³¹ The E-Senior Association, 75020 Paris, France.
³² Department of Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9712 Groningen, The Netherlands.
³³ Sports- and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ulm University Hospital, Leimgrubenweg 14, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
³⁴ Department of Exercise Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan.
³⁵ Faculty of Physical Education, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.
³⁶ Digital Research Centre of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
³⁷ Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
³⁸ Institute for Kinesiology Research, Science and Research Centre Koper, Garibaldijeva 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia.
³⁹ Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milan, Italy.
⁴⁰ School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough E11 3TU, UK.
⁴¹ Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Neurosciences, Physiology and Psychology: Physical Activity, Health and Learning (LINP2-2APS), UFR STAPS, UPL, Paris Nanterre University, 92000 Nanterre, France.

PMID: 32481594
PMCID: PMC7352706
DOI: 10.3390/nu12061583

Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey

Achraf Ammar et al. Nutrients. 2020.

. 2020 May 28;12(6):1583.

doi: 10.3390/nu12061583.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Sport Science, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
² Research Laboratory, Molecular Bases of Human Pathology, LR12ES17, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
³ Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany.
⁴ High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁵ Research Laboratory: Education, Motricity, Sport and Health, EM2S, LR19JS01, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁶ Research Unit: Physical Activity, Sport, and Health, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis 1003, Tunisia.
⁷ Higher Institute of Computer Science and Multimedia of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
⁸ Research Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
⁹ Medical Faculty, Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
¹⁰ High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, University of Gafsa, Gafsa 2112, Tunisia.
¹¹ Laboratório de Vibrações Mecânicas e Práticas Integrativas, LAVIMPI-UERJ, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 20950-003, Brazil.
¹² Faculdade Bezerra de Araújo, Rio de Janeiro Rj 23052-180, Brazil.
¹³ Department of Psychology, Health & Technology, University of Twente, 7522 Enschede, The Netherlands.
¹⁴ Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milano, Italy.
¹⁵ Laboratório de Fisiologia do Exercício, Estácio de Sá University, Rio de Janeiro 20261-063, Brazil.
¹⁶ College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, 503000-Dubai Academic City, Dubai, UAE.
¹⁷ Faculty of social science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin 34148-96818, Iran.
¹⁸ UVHC, DeVisu, Valenciennes, LIRTES-EA 7313, Université Paris Est Créteil Val de Marne, 94000 Créteil, France.
¹⁹ Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Postgraduate School of Public Health, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
²⁰ Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
²¹ ASPETAR, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha 29222, Qatar.
²² Laboratory "Sport Performance Optimization", (CNMSS), ISSEP Ksar-Said, Manouba University, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
²³ Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
²⁴ Clinical Excellence Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
²⁵ Computer science department, University of Toulouse, IRIT-INP-ENSEEIHT (UMR 5505), BP 7122, Toulouse, France.
²⁶ Faculty of Physical Education, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt.
²⁷ Institute for Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, 76131 Karlsruher, Germany.
²⁸ Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA.
²⁹ PharmD, BCBS, PharmIAD, Inc,Savannah, GA 30458, USA.
³⁰ FundeSalud, Dept. of Health and Social Services, Government of Extremadura, 06800 Merida, Spain.
³¹ The E-Senior Association, 75020 Paris, France.
³² Department of Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9712 Groningen, The Netherlands.
³³ Sports- and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ulm University Hospital, Leimgrubenweg 14, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
³⁴ Department of Exercise Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan.
³⁵ Faculty of Physical Education, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.
³⁶ Digital Research Centre of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia.
³⁷ Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
³⁸ Institute for Kinesiology Research, Science and Research Centre Koper, Garibaldijeva 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia.
³⁹ Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milan, Italy.
⁴⁰ School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough E11 3TU, UK.
⁴¹ Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Neurosciences, Physiology and Psychology: Physical Activity, Health and Learning (LINP2-2APS), UFR STAPS, UPL, Paris Nanterre University, 92000 Nanterre, France.

PMID: 32481594
PMCID: PMC7352706
DOI: 10.3390/nu12061583

Abstract

Background: Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on health behaviours and lifestyles at home is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020, in seven languages, to elucidate the behavioural and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the results from the first thousand responders on physical activity (PA) and nutrition behaviours.

Methods: Following a structured review of the literature, the "Effects of home Confinement on multiple Lifestyle Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak (ECLB-COVID19)" Electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists and academics. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. Thirty-five research organisations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the survey in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Slovenian languages. Questions were presented in a differential format, with questions related to responses "before" and "during" confinement conditions.

Results: 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%) were included in the analysis. The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on all PA intensity levels (vigorous, moderate, walking and overall). Additionally, daily sitting time increased from 5 to 8 h per day. Food consumption and meal patterns (the type of food, eating out of control, snacks between meals, number of main meals) were more unhealthy during confinement, with only alcohol binge drinking decreasing significantly.

Conclusion: While isolation is a necessary measure to protect public health, results indicate that it alters physical activity and eating behaviours in a health compromising direction. A more detailed analysis of survey data will allow for a segregation of these responses in different age groups, countries and other subgroups, which will help develop interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviours that have manifested during the COVID-19 confinement.

Keywords: COVID-19; nutrition; pandemic; physical activity; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest

Figures

**Figure 1**
Participants’ scores in response to the related diet behaviour questions. *: Significant differences between “before” and “during” COVID-19 home confinement period.

**Figure 2**
Response distribution (in %) and recorded score according to the number of main meals per day before and during confinement.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey

Affiliations

Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Eating Behaviour and Physical Activity: Results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

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