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. 2024 Dec;30(4):851-859.
doi: 10.1177/02601060221147768. Epub 2023 Feb 6.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic causes a dysfunctional dietary behavior: A German cross-sectional study

Hannah Dinse  1   2 , Adam Schweda  1   2 , Alexander Bäuerle  1   2 , Venja Musche  1   2 , Madeleine Fink  1   2 , Sheila Geiger  1   2 , Eva-Maria Skoda  1   2 , Martin Teufel  1   2
Affiliations

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic causes a dysfunctional dietary behavior: A German cross-sectional study

Hannah Dinse et al. Nutr Health. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has been affected our daily lives, the global population has been exposed to permanent concerns and thus might suffer from the psychological burden. It is well known that psychological burdens can affect dietary behavior. Aim: The impact of a psychological burden on people, and in particular on their dietary patterns was investigated in this nationawide cross-sectional study. Methods: 7525 participants responded to the questionnaire regarding the psychological burden concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and their current dietary structure with changes in the pattern and food amount (between November 2020 and March 2021). Results: A pandemic-related dysfunction of dietary behavior was found. Some participants reported restrictive (conscious) food intake and as well impulsive food intake, which can be described as dysfunctional eating behaviors. In particular, younger persons and individuals who claimed an increased psychological burden reported dysfunctional dietary behavior. Data clearly show that psychological burdens affect an individual's dietary behavior. Conclusion: Public health strategies have to be developed to support individuals at risk to improve coping strategies. The long-term aim should be avoiding the maintenance of dysfunctional dietary behavior.

Keywords: COVID-19; dietary behavior; food consuming; mental health; psychological burden.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Participants’ grouping. The participants were divided into those who reported a restrictive (conscious) and an impulsive food intake (RFI and IFI). Persons’ dietary behavior that showed both RFI and IFI during the pandemic were categorized as dysfunctional (DysB).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Predicted values of increased and decreased food intake.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Relationship between impulsive and restrictive food intake. The scales of the impulsive and restrictive food intake (RFI and IFI) show a linear correlation (rs = .258 or rp = 0.2). This indicates the dysfunctional dietary behavior.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Associations between the dietary behavior categories and the most relevant dependent variables. Individuals with more depressive symptoms and symptoms of generalized anxiety are more likely to be found in the group of increased and dysfunctional dietary behavior (InB and DysB). Higher scores of COVID-19 anxiety are shown in the proportion of dysfunctional and reduced dietary behavior (DysB and ReB). The categories of increased and dysfunctional dietary behavior seem to be younger (InB and DysB). Categories: “unchanged dietary behavior = UnB,” “reduced dietary behavior = ReB,” “increased dietary behavior = InB,” and “dysfunctional dietary behavior = DysB”.
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