Association between diet history and symptoms of individuals having recovered from COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Many studies show that people who eat a balanced diet have stronger immunity. The present work aimed to identify the effects of the diet history of COVID-19 patients having recovered from the disease on the occurrence and severity of symptoms. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 346 individuals aged 20–65 years. The participants’ data and answers to an electronic questionnaire regarding their diet history and symptoms were collected. The study focused on four hard symptoms (fever, body pain, cough, and dyspnoea) to investigate the relationship between these symptoms and the consumption of specific immunity foods. RESULTS: Symptoms were reported by 88.1% of the participants eating none of the foods investigated, whereas 85.54% and 85.55% of the individuals with little or intensive food intake, respectively, experienced symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of specific functional foods might slightly reduce the occurrence of some symptoms.