Lifestyle and behavioral changes during nationwide lockdown in India—A cross-sectional analysis

INTRODUCTION: After almost two months of reporting the first case of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, the nationwide lockdown in India was initiated on 24th of March 2020, to curtail the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the country. While this lockdown had been in place for almost 3 months, the people of the nation have experienced changes in their routine lives in a wide range of activities, including personal behaviours. This study was conducted to identify the impacts that the lockdown had on the lifestyle and behavioural aspects of Indians during the lockdown. METHODS: It was a cross sectional study, conducted by online survey. Data collection was done for the period of 3 months. RESULTS: The study found that a huge number of participants had significant changes in their diet, sleep, bowel habits and also their personal traits. Also, the lockdown had improved interpersonal relationships and helped people explore their hobbies or even acquire a new skill (about 25% of the participants). More than 90% of the participants perceived decrease in air pollution and a majority reported increase in personal hygiene (74.2%), perceived decrease in crime rates (67.3%) as benefits of lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: It would be recommended to include variables to screen for mental health issues among the general population.