Comparing food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of household income and expenditure survey data in Iran

BACKGROUND

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the outbreak of the infectious disease COVID-19 as a pandemic. The health strategies of nations lead to possible changes in lifestyle and increase poor eating habits. Hence, the purpose of this study is to compare food consumption during COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the Households Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) conducted annually by the Statistical Centre of Iran. Food cost data of HIES included the amount of all food items in household food baskets during the last month. Then, they were classified into six food groups to evaluate their energy intake. The consequence of food consumption was analyzed as a function of socioeconomic status (SES) variables and residence pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

In total, 75,885 households (83.5% male) were included in the study. Among the population of urban and rural areas as well as in different SES categories, people tended to increase the consumption of meat (P < 0.05) and fresh foods, especially vegetable groups (P < 0.001) and decrease the consumption of fruit (P < 0.001), fat and sweets groups (P < 0.05) and also in energy intake (P < 0.05). Macronutrient changes were different in the category of SES, urban and rural.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had different effects on food groups, energy and macronutrients consumption, which could be due to possible changes in food patterns as a result of the pandemic.

Prediction and analysis of trends in the nutritional status of children under 5 years in Iran: reanalysis of the results of national surveys conducted between 1998 and 2020

Background and aim

Malnutrition is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in Iran over recent decades and to estimate malnutrition status for 2020.

Methods

This study took the form of a secondary analysis of the reports and data from three cross-sectional national surveys on children's nutritional status conducted between 1998 and 2017. Anthropometric indices, including markers of underweight, wasting, stunting, overweight, and obesity, were used as indicators of the nutritional status of children under 5 years. Malnutrition indicators are reported separately based on regional food security status. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to predict the status of malnutrition indicators for 2020.

Results

The results of this study indicated a downward trend in the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting, from 15.4 to 4.8%, 10.9 to 4.3%, and 4.9 to 4.3%, respectively, between 1998 and 2017. The proportion of children at risk of overweight and prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity showed a downward trend between 2010 and 2017, from 3.73 to 3.02% and from 12.1 to 10.3%, respectively. However, the trend varied between different provinces. Estimates of the prevalence of malnutrition in 2020 also indicated a decrease in the prevalence of all indicators among children.

Conclusion

Despite the decreasing trend in malnutrition over the past three decades, the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting is still high in food-insecure provinces. Moreover, following the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, an increase in the prevalence of malnutrition, especially in food-insecure provinces, is plausible.

COVID-19 epidemic lockdown-induced changes of cereals and animal protein foods consumption of Iran population: the first nationwide survey

Background

The COVID-19 epidemic has affected diverse issues of life including economy, health and nutrition. This nationwide study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the epidemic lockdown-induced socio-economic changes on animal source proteins and cereals intakes of Iran population for the first time.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study using a web-based electronic self-administered questionnaire. A questionnaire was designed with the aim of detecting any changes in the dietary pattern of the Iranian household following coronavirus epidemic.

Results

A total of 21,290 households participated in the study. Approximately 33%, 24%, 14.2% and 7% of the households had decreased the weekly consumption of red meat, white meat, eggs and rice/bread, respectively, following COVID-19 epidemic. The results of ordered logistic regression showed that the female-headed households, as compared with male-headed ones, were 30% more likely to decrease their weekly consumption of white meat (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.5). About 8.6% of the households had reduced all three major dietary sources of animal protein. Close to half of the households (46.9%) who decreased their intake of the animal protein sources had increased their intake of rice or bread, too. The major reasons for these changes were decrease of income and job loss.

Conclusion

In conclusion, animal protein food consumption decreased during epidemic lockdown but the amounts of rice and bread, as the major sources of dietary energy, have increased. These changes, if persist long enough, can seriously affect micronutrient status of the whole population. Early nutritional interventions for needy families are warranted.

Changes in fast food intake in Iranian households during the lockdown period caused by COVID-19 virus emergency, National Food and Nutrition Surveillance

Background

Fast foods, though very popular, are commonly known as unhealthy foods. However, coronavirus pandemic may have influenced on food choices of the general population. This study investigated the changes in fast food consumption during epidemic lockdown 2020.

Materials and Methods

This study was part of a nationwide survey having been conducted using a web‐based electronic self‐administered questionnaire. The questionnaire link was extensively distributed among the whole population both through popular social media platforms and by nutrition and health workers of health offices and medical universities of all provinces. The questionnaire included questions about socio‐demographic characteristics, changes in frequency of fast food consumption as compared with before pandemic, and the reasons for these changes.

Results

A total of 21,290 households took part in the study of whom 89.8% were male‐headed, and almost 74% were from urban areas. Decrease in fast food consumption was reported by 74.8%, while increase in fast food consumption was reported by 2% of the households during the COVID‐19 quarantine. Among those who decreased their fast food consumption, about 82% had completely omitted them from their food baskets. Fear of contamination of fast foods by coronavirus and increase in the number of people at home were the most and the least frequent reasons for decreasing fast food consumption, respectively.

Conclusion

Fast food consumption has dramatically decreased during the lockdown period in Iranian households. Though it may be considered a pleasant offshoot of disastrous COVID‐19 epidemic, the foods replaced fast foods in Iranian households and the overall health consequences warrant further studies.