Analysis of Self-Regulation of Eating Behaviors within Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Influence of Food Habits and Participation in a National Extracurricular Athletics Program on Body Weight within a Pair-Matched Sample of Polish Adolescents after One Year of Intervention-#goathletics Study

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the physical activity level and commitment in adolescents, which has resulted in a body weight increase, and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that this negative trend must be now counteracted. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of food habits and participation in a national extracurricular athletics program (Athletics for All) on body weight within a pair-matched sample of Polish adolescents after one year of intervention. The #goathletics Study was conducted in a population of Polish adolescents within two pair-matched groups: 506 adolescents aged 10-14, including 281 female and 225 male adolescents, regularly participating in Athletics for All program for at least 9 months (one school year) (intervention group), and a pair-matched control group (matched taking into account city, gender, and age). The #goathletics Study included the assessment of the body weight, which was conducted based on the growth reference charts for Body Mass Index (BMI), and waist circumference to verify central fatness. Athletics for All participation and food habits were verified as determinants of body weight, while food habits were assessed using the validated Adolescents' Food Habits Checklist (AFHC). While compared the intervention group and control group, statistically significant differences were observed for body weight, BMI, and waist circumference, both for crude and relative values, with adolescents participating in the Athletics for All program presenting a lower risk of excessive body weight and central fatness (p < 0.05), while, compared to sub-groups stratified by AFHC score, no statistically significant differences in general anthropometric characteristics were observed (p > 0.05). While the body weight centile, height centile, BMI centile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed as the resultant variables, it was revealed that participation in the Athletics for All program is the only influencing factor in multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) for body weight centile (F = 21.44; p < 0.0001) and BMI centile (F = 47.98; p < 0.0001), but for height centile and WHtR, none of the assessed factors influenced these variables. It was concluded that regularly participating in the Athletics for All program for at least 9 months was the only determinant of a lower risk of excessive body weight in adolescents, with declared food habits and gender not being significant.

Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Emotional Eating Scale Adapted for Children and Adolescents (EES-C) Results in Girls: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Stress related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused substantial changes in eating behaviors, and may have been associated with emotional eating, especially in female individuals. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between stress perceived during the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional eating in girls, within the third phase of the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. A nationwide sample of 818 Polish female adolescents, aged 15-20, was gathered. The adolescents were recruited to the study based on a random quota sampling procedure. Using a computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) survey, participants filled out the Emotional Eating Scale Adapted for Children and Adolescents (EES-C) to assess the urge to cope with negative emotions by eating, and the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess perceived stress. Additionally, the data concerning body mass, height, as well as body mass change during the COVID-19 pandemic were verified. The groups most susceptible to emotional eating were excessive body mass female adolescents, those who gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic and those experiencing high stress levels while facing negative emotions. In order to plan effective therapeutic interventions dealing with the issue of emotional eating, both psychological therapy and dietary strategy tailored to the individual should be considered for the indicated susceptible groups.

Emotional Overeating during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Emotional overeating is the most frequently noted type of emotional eating, being commonly associated with increased consumption of energy-dense products, as well as excessive body mass, and weight gain. Even though a number of studies assessed emotional overeating during the COVID-19 pandemic in adult populations, studies of children and adolescents are scarce. The aim of the present study was to assess emotional overeating background, including consumption in response to six emotions (anxiety, sadness, loneliness, tiredness, anger, and happiness), in the population of Polish adolescents within the PLACE-19 Study during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PLACE-19 Study is a national Polish population-based study of adolescents gathered upon recruitment based on a random quota sampling of secondary schools, conducted in a population of 1126 students (818 females and 308 males, a median of age 17.0 and 16.5 years, respectively). Emotional overeating was assessed while using the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire (EOQ), and as additional factors, the following were assessed: gender, body mass, body mass change during the COVID-19 pandemic, and declared tempting food products. Female participants declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of anxiety, sadness, loneliness, and happiness, and were characterized by a higher total score than male participants, while p ≤ 0.05 was interpreted as a statistical significance. Obese participants declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of sadness, and loneliness than normal weight participants. Participants gaining weight declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of anxiety, sadness, loneliness, tiredness, and anger, and were characterized by a higher total score than participants losing weight or maintaining a stable weight, while participants gaining weight declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of happiness than participants losing weight. Participants declaring both sweet and salty products as tempting declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of anxiety, and sadness than participants declaring no tempting products; participants declaring both sweet and salty products declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of tiredness than participants declaring only salty products and those declaring no tempting products, as well as declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of happiness than participants declaring only sweet products, and those declaring no tempting products; participants declaring sweet products declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of anger than participants declaring no tempting products, while participants declaring both sweet and salty products declared a higher frequency of overeating in response to feelings of loneliness, and were characterized by a higher total score than all other respondents. The sub-groups with the highest frequency of emotional overeating were the female respondents, obese participants, those gaining weight, and those declaring both sweet and salty products as tempting, while among the emotions most often causing emotional overeating, there were sadness and loneliness.

Analysis of Association between Adolescents' Food Habits and Body Mass Change in a Population-Based Sample: Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study

The COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to food habit changes, including some negative ones that may increase the risk of overweight and obesity. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between adolescents' food habits, body mass change, as well as physical activity level in a population-based sample within the Diet and Activity of Youth during COVID-19 (DAY-19) Study. The DAY-19 Study was conducted in a cohort of 1333 students (aged 10-16 years) recruited in schools after stratified random quota sampling of primary schools (sampling counties within voivodeships and schools within counties) in June 2020. The food habits were assessed for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the period before the COVID-19 pandemic while using Adolescent Food Habits Checklist (AFHC). The body mass changes were assessed based on body weight and height for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the period before the COVID-19 pandemic while using Polish growth reference values. The physical activity changes were assessed based on the subjective assessment of adolescents. It was stated that for female adolescents declaring body mass gain during the COVID-19 pandemic the highest AFHC purchase scores (healthy purchase habits) (p < 0.0001) were accompanied by the lowest AFHC consumption score (unhealthy consumption habits) (p < 0.0001), as well as for female adolescents declaring physical activity decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic the highest AFHC purchase scores (healthy purchase habits) were observed (p = 0.0333). It was stated that for male adolescents declaring physical activity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest AFHC consumption scores (healthy consumption habits) were observed (p = 0.0003). In the case of a majority of participants, the general food habits were unchanged, which was observed mainly for food habits associated with food preparation. More food habits changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in body mass changes were observed in females than in male adolescents. Body mass gain during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents may have resulted from unhealthy consumption habits, accompanied by decreased physical activity, in spite of the fact that this sub-group presented healthy purchase habits, which was observed especially for female adolescents.

Influence of Selected Food Product Groups Consumption Frequency on Acne-Related Quality of Life in a National Sample of Polish Female Adolescents

Acne vulgaris affects over 80% of adolescents, mainly female ones, and may reduce their general quality of life, so its prevention and treatment are becoming necessary, while among the options for acne management, the potential influence of diet is indicated. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of selected food product groups consumption frequency on acne-related quality of life in a national sample of Polish female adolescents. The studied population of 1370 Polish female adolescents was gathered using random quota sampling of secondary schools representative of the whole country. The acne-related quality of life was assessed using the Acne Quality of Life (AQoL) Scale with the calculated Social Quality of Life (SOCQOL) Score, as well as the Acne Disability Questionnaire (ADQ) with the calculated Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI). The acne-related food product groups' consumption frequency was assessed using the Acne-specific Food Frequency Questionnaire (Acne-FFQ). There were no differences in food product consumption between subgroups stratified by the acne-related quality of life (p > 0.05), and there was no correlation between food product consumption and the results of the SOCQOL Score (p > 0.05). For the CADI, positive correlations were indicated for fast foods (p = 0.0450; R = 0.0688), salty snacks (p = 0.0342; R = 0.0727), and chocolate confectionary (p = 0.0147; R = 0.0837), while a negative correlation was indicated for dairy beverages other than milk (p = 0.0414; R = -0.0701). In the studied group of Polish female adolescents, fast foods, salty snacks, and chocolate confectionary were indicated as potential acne-promoting factors, while dairy beverages other than milk were indicated as a potential acne-protective factor.

Analysis of the Nutritional Value of the Diets Presented in Women's and Sports Magazines before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

For consumers, among the most important sources of information related to nutrition are popular journals and magazines, including women’s and sports, but the diets presented there may lead to unhealthy weight-control behaviors. The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional value of regular and low-calorie diets presented in Polish women’s and sports magazines before and during COVID-19 pandemic. The study was based on two popular Polish magazines—one women’s magazine and one sports magazine, which regularly present various types of diets. The nutritional value of all the diets published from January 2014 to May 2022 was analyzed. The total number of included single-day menus was n = 119, while for analysis they were stratified based on: type of magazine (published in the women’s magazine n = 41 and in the sports magazine n = 78), year of publication (before the COVID-19 pandemic n = 78 and during n = 41), and type of diet (regular n = 61 and low-calorie n = 58). The analysis included the energy value and nutritional value. For the type of magazine, the diets published in the sports magazine were characterized by a higher intake of fat (p < 0.0001 for intake in grams and in % of energy) and calcium (p = 0.0330), whereas the diets published in the women’s magazine were characterized by a higher intake of carbohydrates (p = 0.0226 for intake in grams, and p = 0.0002 for intake in % of energy) and fiber (p = 0.0163). For the year of publication, the diets published during the COVID-19 pandemic were characterized by a higher intake of protein (p = 0.0166 for intake in grams), sodium (p = 0.0465), calcium (p < 0.0001), vitamin D (p = 0.0197), vitamin B6 (p = 0.0207), and vitamin B12 (p = 0.0277), whereas the diets published before the COVID-19 pandemic were characterized by a higher intake of carbohydrates (p = 0.0243 for intake in % of energy). For the type of diet, the regular diets were characterized by a higher energy value (p = 0.0020), as well as by a higher intake of fat (p = 0.0162 for intake in grams), carbohydrates (p = 0.0390 for intake in grams), mono- and oligosaccharides (p = 0.0084 for intake in % of energy), fiber (p < 0.0001), magnesium (p = 0.0323), iron (p = 0.0307), and vitamin B6 (p = 0.0204). The nutritional value of the diets presented in the Polish women’s and sports magazines was not justified by the type of magazine or type of diet, associated with the target group, which may cause the following of improperly balanced diets. However, the changes in the typical nutritional value of diets presented in the Polish women’s and sports magazines during the COVID-19 pandemic were justified by some specific needs for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.