Research
Macro partitioning
Dietary changes during confinement, specifically increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and decreased protein intake, contribute to sarcopenia by inducing anabolic resistance and promoting fat gain.
Prioritize protein-rich foods over ultra-processed comfort foods during stressful times. Low protein intake directly reduces your body's ability to build and maintain muscle, even if you are exercising.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Such dietary changes are also associated with poorer markers of cardiometabolic risk... reducing dietary protein intake... Diets higher in UPFs tend to be lower in quality, specifically, lower in protein which may reduce the capacity to stimulate muscle growth.
Why this rating
Based on observational surveys and mechanistic reviews.
Source
Sarcopenia during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: long-term health effects of short-term muscle loss
Richard Kirwan et al. · GeroScience · 2020
DOI 10.1007/s11357-020-00272-3
narrative_reviewCited 335×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Extended periods of physical inactivity, such as lockdown confinement or ICU bed rest, accelerate sarcopenia through a 'catabolic crisis' model, causing rapid muscle volume loss (up to 5.5% in 7 days) that may not fully recover post-discharge.Moderate
- Vitamin D deficiency, exacerbated by lockdown-induced reduced sun exposure, contributes to muscle loss by impairing calcium handling, mitochondrial function, and insulin signaling.Moderate
Related findings · Macro partitioning
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- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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