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Zhang J, Bloom I, Westbury LD, Bevilacqua G, Ward KA, Barker M, Lawrence W, Cooper C, Dennison EM. A Healthy Conversation Skills intervention to support changes to physical activity and dietary behaviours in community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perspect Public Health 2024:17579139241262657. [PMID: 39087388 DOI: 10.1177/17579139241262657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Physical activity (PA) and nutrition are important determinants of health in late adulthood. However, low levels of PA and poor nutrition are common in older adults and have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesised that Healthy Conversation Skills could be used to support health behaviour changes beneficial for health in older adults and thus conducted a study nested within the UK Hertfordshire Cohort Study. METHODS Between November 2019 and March 2020, 176 participants were visited at home. A trained researcher administered a questionnaire and undertook anthropometric and physical performance tests. A total of 89 participants were randomised to the control group and received a healthy living leaflet; 87 participants in the intervention group were interviewed using Healthy Conversation Skills at the initial visit with follow-up telephone calls at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months. Follow-up at 1 year by postal questionnaire assessed change in PA and diet. In total, 155 participants (79 control and 76 intervention) completed the baseline and 1-year follow-up. RESULTS At baseline, median (lower quartile, upper quartile) age (years) was 83.1 (81.5, 85.5) and median PA time (min/day) from walking, cycling and sports was 30.0 (15.0, 60.0). In total, 95% of participants completed the intervention; the total response rate for postal questionnaires was 94%. There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between the trial arms. In women, there was a tendency for greater increases in diet quality in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.075), while among men, there was a tendency for reduced decline in self-reported physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.081). CONCLUSION We have shown that it is viable to utilise Healthy Conversation Skills via telephone to promote healthier lifestyles in older adults. Larger appropriately powered studies to determine the efficacy of such an intervention are now warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Zhang
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - I Bloom
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - L D Westbury
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK
| | - G Bevilacqua
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK
| | - K A Ward
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - M Barker
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - W Lawrence
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - C Cooper
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, UK
| | - E M Dennison
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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Muaddi MA, Alharbi AA, Mahfouz MS, Hadadi RT, Areeshi RA, Muqri HK, Zurayyir EJ, Alkuaybi FS, Alhazmi SA, Albadrani MS, Alharbi RK, Alqassim AY. Changes in Nutritional Habits and Lifestyles Associated With COVID-19 in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A 2022 Cross-Sectional Survey. Cureus 2024; 16:e65425. [PMID: 39184620 PMCID: PMC11344992 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.65425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic impacted dietary habits and physical activity patterns, with some long-term consequences. This study evaluated the effects of the pandemic on adults' dietary habits and physical activity in Jazan and compared them to pre-pandemic. METHODS An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted among conveniently selected 559 individuals in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, in February 2022 using a validated online questionnaire. Data was collected to assess changes in eating habits, food intake, and weight before and 21 months after lifting of COVID-19 curfew restrictions in the region. Chi-square and McNemar's tests were used for analysis. RESULTS The proportion of individuals consuming homemade meals decreased from 50.6% (n=283) before the pandemic to 46.5% (n=260) during the pandemic, while the proportion of participants consuming less than three meals per day increased from 42.2% (n=236) to 45.4% (n=254), and breakfast consumption decreased significantly from 58.1% (n=325) to 53.5% (n=299) (p = 0.033). There was an increase in the consumption of fast food from 10.7% (n=60) to 12.0% (n=67) and dining at restaurants from 18.4% (n=103) to 19.3% (n=108); however, these increases were not statistically significant compared to pre-pandemic rates. During the pre-COVID-19 period, 46.9% (n=262) reported engaging in physical activity one to three times a week, whereas this frequency decreased to 41.3% (n=231) during the pandemic (p = 0.017). In contrast, a significant increase was observed in the duration of computer usage as prior to the pandemic, 20.2% (n=113) reported spending more than five hours per day on the computer, while this proportion increased to 31.8% (n=178) during the pandemic (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a considerable proportion of both males and females, constituting over one-third (n=189) of the total sample, reported an increase in body weight. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that the adult population in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia experienced significant lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including altered dietary patterns and a significant decline in physical activity. To mitigate potential adverse effects on future well-being, it is crucial to implement enduring initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A Muaddi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU
| | - Abdullah A Alharbi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU
| | - Mohamed Salih Mahfouz
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU
| | | | | | - Huda K Muqri
- Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU
| | | | | | | | - Muayad S Albadrani
- Department of Family and Community Medicine and Medical Education, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, SAU
| | - Rawan K Alharbi
- Department of Family Medicine, Al-Husseini Primary Care Center, Western Sector, Jazan Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Jazan, SAU
| | - Ahmad Y Alqassim
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU
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Garcia Carlini GC, Silva Ribas CM, Maluf di Lernia R, Lima RDS, Gaspari da Silva R, Dos Santos Quaresma MVL. Physical exercise practice was positively associated with better dietary practices of aged people during COVID-19 social distance: A cross-sectional study. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2023; 54:98-105. [PMID: 36963904 PMCID: PMC9851721 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS COVID-19 is a respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2. In the absence of effective treatment and vaccines, social distance (SD) is essential to reduce the spread of the virus. However, SD generates several behavioral changes, especially in psychological (i.e., emotions and depressive symptoms) and lifestyle-related parameters (i.e., diet, physical activity, and sleep), and the aged people could be more susceptible to COVID-19 SD-related effects (i.e., loneliness, stress, fear, concerns about life, etc.). As such, we aimed to explore the relationship between lifestyle- (physical exercise practice and sleep quality) and psychological-related factors with the dietary practices derived from the Brazilian National Food Guide of older adult during the COVID-19 SD. METHODS A web-based survey was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected between August and December 2020 (a period of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The questions were extracted from validated questionnaires to verify dietary practices (score of adhesion to the food guide for the Brazilian population), sleep quality (by Pittsburgh questionnaire), emotional food-related dimensions (by Three-factor Eating Questionnaire), and depression symptoms (by Beck's questionnaire). RESULTS Results were from 229 aged people (mean age 66.5 ± 6.02 years old; mean BMI 27.5 ± 4.32 kg/m2; mean sleep duration 8.23 ± 1.41 h; Pittsburg sleep quality score 6.55 ± 4.83; dietary practice score 42.5 ± 6.47). In the adjusted-linear regression model, we verified that physical exercise practice at home (β = 2.179; 95% CI: 0.599 to 3.758; p = 0.007) during COVID-19 SD was positively associated with better dietary practices in aged people. In contrast, emotional eating was negatively associated with dietary practices (β = -0.051; 95% CI: -0.092 to - 0.009; p = 0.015). CONCLUSION We conclude that in aged people, physical exercise practice at home during COVID-19 SD was positively associated with better dietary practices, while emotional eating was negatively associated.
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Laskou F, Bevilacqua G, Westbury LD, Bloom I, Aggarwal P, Cooper C, Patel HP, Dennison E. A study of diet in older community-dwelling adults in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the Southampton Longitudinal Study of Ageing (SaLSA). Front Nutr 2022; 9:988575. [PMID: 36712533 PMCID: PMC9880198 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.988575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Adequate nutrition is important for health in later life. Older adults are especially vulnerable to adverse outcomes following infection by COVID-19 and have commonly spent a disproportionate time within their own homes to reduce risk of infection. There are concerns that advice to shield may have led to malnutrition as older adults may modify daily routines including usual shopping habits. The aims of this study were to report self-reported pandemic-related changes in diet and examine lifestyle and medical correlates of these changes in older UK community-dwelling adults. Methods We recruited 491 participants from the city of Southampton, UK. Participants completed a postal questionnaire in summer/autumn 2021, over a year after the first UK national lockdown was announced. The questionnaire ascertained demographic and lifestyle factors, in addition to number of comorbidities, nutrition risk scores, and presence of frailty. Associations between these participant characteristics in relation to self-reported changes in diet quality (lower, similar or higher when compared to before the first lockdown) were examined using ordinal logistic regression. Results Median (lower quartile, upper quartile) age was 79.8 (77.0, 83.7) years. Overall, 11 (4.9%) men and 25 (9.4%) women had poorer diet quality compared to before the first UK lockdown. The following participant characteristics were associated with increased risk of being in a worse category for change in diet quality after adjustment for sex: lower educational attainment (p = 0.009); higher BMI (p < 0.001); higher DETERMINE (a malnutrition assessment) score (p = 0.004); higher SARC-F score (p = 0.013); and self-reported exhaustion in the previous week on at least 3 days (p = 0.002). Conclusions Individuals at higher nutritional risk were identified as reporting increased risk of deterioration in diet quality during the pandemic. Further investigation of the factors leading to these changes, and an understanding of whether they are reversible will be important, especially for future pandemic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faidra Laskou
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Gregorio Bevilacqua
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Leo D Westbury
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ilse Bloom
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Cyrus Cooper
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Harnish P Patel
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Medicine for Older People, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine Dennison
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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