An Evaluation of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Perceived Social Distancing Policies in Relation to Planning, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy Meals: An Observational Study in 38 Countries Worldwide

Charlotte De Backer, Lauranna Teunissen, Isabelle Cuykx, Paulien Decorte, Sara Pabian, Sarah Gerritsen, Christophe Matthys, Haleama Al Sabbah, Kathleen Van Royen, Ina Bergheim, Raphaela Staltner, Amanda Devine, Ros Sambell, Ruth Wallace, Sabika Salem Allehdan, Tariq Abdulkarim Alalwan, Mariam Ahamad Al-Mannai, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Charlotte De Backer, Kathleen Van RoyenLauranna Teunissen, Isabelle Cuykx, Paulien Decorte, Gaelle Ouvrein, Karolien Poels, Heidi Vandebosch, Katrien Maldoy, Sara Pabian, Christophe Matthys, Tim Smits, Jules Vrinten, Ann Desmet, Nelleke Teughels, Maggie Geuens, Iris Vermeir, Viktor Proesmans, Liselot Hudders, Marcia Dutra De Barcellos, Cristina Ostermann, Ana Luiza Brock, Cynthia Favieiro, Rafaela Trizotto, Isadora Stangherlin, Anthonieta Looman Mafra, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Jaroslava Varella Valentova, Maryanne L. Fisher, Melanie Maceacheron, Katherine White, Rishad Habib, David S. Dobson, Berta Schnettler, Ligia Orellana, Edgardo Miranda-Zapata, Angela Wen Yu Chang, Wen Jiao, Matthew Tingchi, Liu, Klaus G. Grunert, Rikke Nyland Christensen, Lucia Reisch, Meike Janssen, Victoria Abril-Ulloa, Lorena Encalada, Iman Kamel, Annukka Vainio, Mari Niva, Laura Salmivaara, Johanna Makela, Kaisa Torkkeli, Robert Mai, Pamela Kerschke-Risch, Efthymios Altsitsiadis, Angelos Stamos, Andreas Antronikidis, Stelios Tsafarakis, Pavlos Delias, Hamid Rasekhi, Mohammad Reza Vafa, Karandish Majid, Hassan Eftekhari, Maeve Henchion, Sinead McCarthy, Mary McCarthy, Alessandra Micalizzi, Peter J. Schulz, Manuela Farinosi, Hidenori Komatsu, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hiromi Kubota, Reema Tayyem, Narmeen J. Al-Awwad, Nahla Al-Bayyari, Mohammed O. Ibrahim, Fadwa Hammouh, Somaia Dashti, Basma Dashti, Dhuha Alkharaif, Amani Alshatti, Maryam Al Mazedi, Maha Hoteit, Rania Mansour, Elissa Naim, Hussein Mortada, Yareni Yunuen Gutierrez Gomez, Kelly Geyskens, Caroline Goukens, Rajshri Roy, Victoria Egli, Lisa Te Morenga, Mostafa Waly, Radwan Qasrawi, Motasem Hamdan, Rania Abu Sier, Diala Abu Al Halawa, Hazem Agha, Maria Reyna Liria-Dominguez, Lita Palomares, Grayna W. Sowicz, Hiba Bawadi, Manal Othman, Jaafar Pakari, Allam Abu Farha, Rasha Abu-El-ruz, Dacinia Crina Petrescu, Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, Felix Arion, Stefan Cristian Vesa, Majid M. Alkhalaf, Khlood Bookari, Jamila Arrish, Zackaria Rahim, Roy Kheng, Yandisa Ngqangashe, Zandile June Rose McHiza, Marcela Gonzalez-Gross, Lisset Pantoja-Arevalo, Eva Gesteiro, Yolanda Rios, Peter Yiga, Patrick Ogwok, Denis Ocen, Michael Bamuwamye, Zainab Taha, Ayesha Aldhaheri, Elisa Pineda, Marisa Miraldo, Dawn Liu Holford, Hilde Van den Bulck

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: To examine changes in planning, selecting, and preparing healthy foods in relation to personal factors (time, money, stress) and social distancing policies during the COVID-19 crisis. Methods: Using cross-sectional online surveys collected in 38 countries worldwide in April-June 2020 (N = 37,207, Mage 36.7 SD 14.8, 77% women), we compared changes in food literacy behaviors to changes in personal factors and social distancing policies, using hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for sociodemographic variables. Results: Increases in planning (4.7 SD 1.3, 4.9 SD 1.3), selecting (3.6 SD 1.7, 3.7 SD 1.7), and preparing (4.6 SD 1.2, 4.7 SD 1.3) healthy foods were found for women and men, and positively related to perceived time availability and stay-at-home policies. Psychological distress was a barrier for women, and an enabler for men. Financial stress was a barrier and enabler depending on various sociodemographic variables (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: Stay-at-home policies and feelings of having more time during COVID-19 seem to have improved food literacy. Stress and other social distancing policies relate to food literacy in more complex ways, highlighting the necessity of a health equity lens.

Original languageEnglish
Article number621726
JournalFrontiers in Nutrition
Volume7
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Feb 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 De Backer, Teunissen, Cuykx, Decorte, Pabian, Gerritsen, Matthys, Al Sabbah, Van Royen and the Corona Cooking Survey Study Group.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • food literacy
  • food planning
  • food preparation
  • food selection
  • nutrition
  • psychological distress
  • time availability

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