A study showed that anxiety and anhedonia were directly related to food consumption at the onset of the coronavirus quarantine.
An increase in average body weight was observed during confinement for COVID-19.
Due to the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to protect public health, the governments of many countries have taken preventive measures, including closing cities, shops and schools, and declaring quarantines and confinements to enforce physical distancing.
Although this procedure is documented in its effectiveness, it has recently begun to understand its impact on people’s lives from different perspectives.
The World Health Organization declared that pandemic from COVID-19 He sought to determine the relationship between symptoms of anxiety, anhedonia, and consumption of food, fruits, and vegetables at the start of pandemic in 12 Spanish-speaking countries, such as: ArgentinaAnd ChileAnd ColombiaCosta Rica, EcuadorGuatemala, Panama, ParaguayAnd PeruAnd UruguayAnd Mexico and Spain.
Among the results collected through an online survey of 10,551 people, mostly female, a high frequency of daily consumption of sugary drinks and a meal Fast, like hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza and tacos.
ParaguayAnd Argentina And Uruguay Show pattern regarding a meal Fast, average daily serving consumption, respectively. for his part ArgentinaAnd Uruguay Panama showed a similar pattern with regard to cake shop.
EcuadorAnd Peru While the countries with the largest number of parts fried food per day, shows the average consumption.
Participants from ArgentinaAnd Chile And Mexico They were the most likely to increase food portion sizes at the start of the lockdown, compared to other countries.
In this investigation, anxiety was measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and anhedonia using the Snaith-Hamilton Hedon Scale.
The anxiety stock scores were higher for ChileGuatemala Mexico And Ecuador from other countries.
Scores on the pleasure scale were higher for PeruAnd EcuadorAnd Chile And Argentina compared to other countries.
Ultimately, anxiety was associated with eating palatable foods, including sugary drinks, cakes, fried foods, and fast foods.
In addition, the chances of eating these delicacies were greater as the level of anxiety increased.
In this way, the chances of people with mild, moderate or severe anxiety consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, cakes, fried foods, or fast foods were higher than those of people with minimal anxiety. Interestingly, anxiety was not related to fruit or vegetable consumption.
Dr. Landita Diaz, who led the study and collaborated in the School of Health and Social Sciences at the University of Las Americas, in Chile He noted that while it is true to talk about what it means to have healthy behaviors among the community, health professionals can also point with greater focus to a return to the habits and roots of each of the populations.
With regard to mental health, in general, Latin countries scored very high in the level of anxiety, due to the lack of public policies in this regard, according to the doctor.
However, the case UruguayWhich provided one of the best results.
Finally, he emphasized that all health workers have a lot to do to separate emotions from food.
For example, he said that food is often rewarded or punished, and this does not generate a positive relationship; Then people eat because they are happy, but they are also sad, these are things to separate.
Finally, another issue that will be the responsibility of health workers is to prepare, “because it is clear that the period of lack of refinement will lead to chronic diseases that we already know are very prevalent in Latin American countries, and therefore, we will have the excess, no longer from COVID-19, but yes for other illnesses and mental health, because it’s hard for people to comment on what’s happening to them, how they’re feeling, so it should be a priority for health professionals to recommend care.”
Consultation source Here.