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Study details how lockdown changed our eating habits
Eating more and snacking more was common during lockdown, leading to weight gain

Study details how lockdown changed our eating habits

Eating more and snacking more was common during lockdown, leading to weight gain, according to the findings of the National COVID-19 Food Study, published today by the UCD Institute of Food and Health, in collaboration with Dublin City University. Meanwhile, a relatively high number of people reported being worried about having enough food.

Using an online-only survey in accordance with social distancing, the study gathered information on changes in food and drink behaviours among adults in Ireland during the COVID-19 restrictions.

The food and activity patterns of older people were less affected by the lockdown than expected, according to the study. Younger people, especially those aged between 25-44 years old, showed much more change in their snacking, home cooking and baking, takeaway and alcohol habits than expected. ‘COVID kilos’ were common, with almost one in three people surveyed reporting weight gain. This is concerning when already six out of 10 Irish people are overweight or obese, according to the authors of the study.

“The study shows that this relatively short period of time had a major impact on people’s lives,” says Dr Emma Feeney assistant professor in food science and nutrition at UCD. “People cooked at home much more but also drank more alcohol, and interviews with advocacy groups suggested many households were under pressure with more people living at home, and increased grocery costs.

“While we saw some positive elements – with people engaging in home baking and exercising more – a significant proportion reported eating more than usual, exercising less, and weight gain,” said Dr Eileen Gibney, deputy director of the UCD Institute of Food and Health. “Worryingly, the restrictions seemed to impact food availability, with some people reporting concerns about getting the food they wanted or having enough food in their household.”

The lockdown period changed the way most people lived and ate. For some, the changes were dramatic – for others, less so.

“One in five people taking the survey worried about having enough food,” according to Dr Sharleen O’Reilly, assistant professor in nutrition at UCD.

“Vulnerable groups like refugees, low-income earners or those impacted by addiction or living with a disability had real challenges affording food with the extra ‘hidden’ costs of lockdown. Higher household bills, loss of income and eating more family meals at home all added to the stress of living life at home 24/7,” said Dr O’Reilly.

“Our research with advocacy groups highlights the increased pressure placed on service provision such as meals on wheels, soup kitchens etc during the COVID-19 lockdown,” according to Dr Claire Timon, research fellow at the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health in DCU.

“In some instances families who had never sought help for food provision before were seeking this support. We are hopeful that these insights and the findings from the overall survey will help us better protect our communities now and into the future,” said Dr Timon.

“The study also highlighted how children are acutely exposed to experiencing hunger without the provision of school meals,” said Dr Celine Murrin, assistant professor in public health nutrition at UCD. “These services are extremely vulnerable to shocks as such Covid-19 and the government must ensure that emergency planning includes food provision services, rather than relying on the benevolence of charitable services.”

Understanding how people respond to a public health emergency is vital and the National COVID-19 Food Study showed us that one-size does not fit all when it comes to the experiences of people in Ireland. Future emergency responses need to support vulnerable groups and consider the impact that lockdown has on longer-term health.

For the full report, see covidfood.ie