Adherence
Government-mandated physical isolation measures during the early COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant increase in total energy intake and snacking frequency among young adult females, while simultaneously reducing physical activity levels in both males and females.
If you are living in isolation or working from home, be aware that your default environment encourages higher calorie intake (especially snacking) and lower physical activity. To counter this, you must intentionally recreate the structure you lost: schedule your meals, limit snack availability, and deliberately schedule physical activity sessions since you no longer get incidental exercise from commuting or walking between classes.
In females, but not males, energy intake was ~20% greater during the pandemic, and snacking frequency and energy density of consumed snacks also increased compared with 2018 and 2019. Physical activity was impacted for both sexes during the pandemic with ~30% fewer students achieving 'sufficient' levels of activity... compared with the previous two years.
Why this rating
Observational study with a small follow-up response rate (14-18%) and reliance on self-reported data, though the initial cohort was reasonably sized.
Source
The Impact of Isolation Measures Due to COVID-19 on Energy Intake and Physical Activity Levels in Australian University Students
Linda A. Gallo et al. · Nutrients · 2020
DOI 10.3390/nu12061865
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →