Tessier AJ, Moyen A, Lawson C, Rappaport A, Yousif H, Fleurent-Grégoire C, Lalonde-Bester S, Brazeau AS, Chevalier S. Lifestyle Behaviour Changes and Associated Risk Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: results of the Canadian COVIDiet Online Cohort Study.
JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023;
9:e43786. [PMID:
36848226 PMCID:
PMC10131911 DOI:
10.2196/43786]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns have impacted lifestyle behaviours including eating habits and physical activity; yet few studies identified emerging patterns of such changes and associated risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
To identify patterns of weight and lifestyle behaviour change, and potential risk factors, resulting from the pandemic in Canadian adults.
METHODS
Analyses were conducted on 1,609 adults (18-89 y; 90.1% women; 81.8% White) of the Canadian COVIDiet study baseline data (May-Dec 2020). Self-reported current and pre-pandemic weight, physical activity, smoking status, perceived eating habits, alcohol intake and sleep quality were collected by online questionnaires. Based on these 6 indicator variables, latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify lifestyle behaviour change patterns. Associations with potential risk factors including age, gender, ethnicity, education, income, chronic diseases, body image perception, and changes in stress level, living situation and work arrangement were examined with logistic regressions.
RESULTS
Participants' mean BMI was 26.1 ± 6.3 kg/m2; 60.9% had >= bachelor's degree. Since the pandemic, 35% had decreased income and 49% changed work arrangement. Most participants reported unchanged weight, sleep quality, physical activity level, smoking and alcohol consumption, yet 44% reported a perceived decrease in eating habits quality. From LCA, 2 classes of lifestyle behaviour change emerged; "healthy" and "less healthy" (probability: 0.605 and 0.395; BIC=15574.3, entropy=4.8). "Healthy" class participants more frequently reported unchanged weight, sleep quality, smoking and alcohol intake, unchanged/improved eating habits and increased physical activity. The "less healthy" class reported significant weight gain, deteriorated eating habits and sleep quality, unchanged/increased alcohol intake and smoking, and decreased physical activity. Among risk factors, body image dissatisfaction OR=8.8, 95%CI (5.3-14.7), depression OR=1.8, 95%CI (1.3, 2.5), increased stress level OR=3.4, 95%CI (2.0, 5.8) and of gender minority identity OR=5.5, 95% CI (1.3-22.3) were associated with adopting "less healthy" behaviours in adjusted models.
CONCLUSIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to have influenced lifestyle behaviours unfavorably in some, but favorably in others. Body image perception, change in stress level and gender identity were factors associated with behaviour change patterns; whether these will sustain overtime remains to be studied. Findings provide insights to develop strategies in supporting adults with poorer mental well-being in the post-pandemic context and promoting healthful behaviours during future disease outbreaks.
CLINICALTRIAL
This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04407533).
Collapse