Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Aug 14.
doi: 10.1515/hmbci-2023-0049. Online ahead of print.

Navigating the challenges: exploring the association between COVID-19 lockdowns and eating behavior in university students: a systematic review and investigation of factors impacting ed levels

Atul Kumar Sharma  1 , Kapilaanjan Jain  1 , Kratika Mulchandani  1 , Smita R Sorte  1 , Sachin B Rathod  1 , Vinu Vij  1 , Jyotsna Gumashta  1
Affiliations
Review

Navigating the challenges: exploring the association between COVID-19 lockdowns and eating behavior in university students: a systematic review and investigation of factors impacting ed levels

Atul Kumar Sharma et al. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. .

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental and physical well-being of individuals globally, with university students being particularly susceptible to mental health issues. Factors such as the transition to adulthood, economic hardships, and academic responsibilities, compounded by pandemic-related disruptions like lockdowns and remote learning, have elevated stress levels and altered daily routines. The pandemic has given rise to post-traumatic stress symptoms in certain individuals, including university students which may contribute to the emergence of emotional eating or adopting unhealthy eating patterns as a coping mechanism, leading to excessive consumption or unhealthy dietary choices. This review aims to investigate the influence of COVID-19 restrictions on eating disorders among university students and identifying the contributing factors.

Content: Out of 59 identified articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria, involving 23,542 participants (70.2 % women, 29.35 % men, 0.42 % gender fluid/undisclosed). The lockdown led to increased prevalence and severity of eating disorders among university students, particularly in women.

Summary: The review highlights a notable increase in eating disorders among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health issues, reduced physical activity, and economic stress were significant contributors to this trend, with women being disproportionately affected.

Outlook: To mitigate the impact of future pandemics or similar disruptions, universities should implement early screening, provide mental health counseling, virtual support groups, nutritional guidance, and opportunities for physical activity. Encouraging students to seek professional help is crucial for managing mental health and eating habits in such scenarios.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; eating disorders; lockdown; university students.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Tavolacci, M-P, Ladner, J, Dechelotte, P. COVID-19 pandemic and eating disorders among university students. Nutrients 2021;13:4294. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124294 . - DOI
    1. Zhou, Y, Wade, TD. The impact of COVID-19 on body-dissatisfied female university students. Int J Eat Disord 2021;54:1283–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23521 . - DOI
    1. Flaudias, V, Iceta, S, Zerhouni, O, Rodgers, RF, Billieux, J, Llorca, P-M, et al.. COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and problematic eating behaviors in a student population. J Behav Addict 2020;9:826–35. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00053 . - DOI
    1. Tavolacci, M-P, Ladner, J, Déchelotte, P. Sharp increase in eating disorders among university students since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients 2021;13:3415. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103415 . - DOI
    1. Boukrim, M, Obtel, M, Kasouati, J, Achbani, A, Razine, R. COVID-19 and confinement: effect on weight load, physical activity and eating behavior of higher education students in southern Morocco. Ann Glob Health 2021;87:7. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3144 . - DOI

LinkOut - more resources