Association between lifestyle and emotional aspects of food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Adequate nutrition during infectious outbreaks require a personal management strategy, especially when there are emotional factors involved. To evaluate the association between lifestyle and emotional aspects of food consumption during the pandemic COVID-19. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cross-sectional study using online self-applied questionnaire with 15,372 active schoolteachers who worked in primary education (kindergarten, elementary and high school) from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Poisson Regression model with robust variance was used to determine the association between lifestyle and emotional aspects and food consumption. Greater adherence to the healthy consumption profile showed a statistically significant association with decreased weight (PR = 1.58; p = 0.000), decreased physical activity (PR = 1.27; p = 0.000), reduced income, (PR = 1.26; p = 0.000), reduced alcohol consumption (PR = 1.22; p = 0.000), and changes in mental health (PR = 1.19; p = 0.000). Unhealthy consumption profile was significantly correlated with weight gain (PR = 1.54; p = 0.000), consuming more alcohol, or started drinking during the pandemic (PR = 1.44; p = 0.000), increased physical activity (PR = 1.43; p = 0.000); increased cigarette consumption (PR = 1.17; p = 0.000), and being a younger adult (PR = 1.17; p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the food profiles of basic education teachers in the Minas Gerais state education system in a bidirectional manner, favoring the practice of consuming healthy or unhealthy foods.