Newswise — Approximately 60% of around 1,600 Canadians involved in a fresh study by McGill University reported that their lifestyle habits either remained unchanged or improved amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, 40% of participants revealed adopting unhealthier lifestyle habits, such as deteriorated eating patterns, reduced sleep quality, decreased physical activity, and weight gain. The research is derived from the Canadian COVIDiet study, encompassing individuals aged 18 to 89 years. Researchers from McGill’s School of Human Nutrition collected nationwide data during the initial wave of infections. Employing latent class analysis, a statistical technique that enables the grouping of individuals with similar characteristics or behaviors, two distinct patterns of lifestyle alterations emerged: healthy and unhealthy habits.

"The positive aspect is that the majority of participants upheld or even enhanced their lifestyle habits," remarked Stéphanie Chevalier, the leading researcher and Associate Professor of the School of Human Nutrition.

"Curiously, individuals who expressed discontent with their body image, encountered depression or stress, or identified as a gender minority exhibited a higher propensity for adopting less healthy habits," noted Anne-Julie Tessier, the lead author of the study and a research fellow at Harvard University. "Our investigation can aid in the identification of individuals at heightened health risks during a crisis like a pandemic, and in formulating strategies to assist individuals confronting mental health challenges, thus averting potential health deterioration in the future."

 Lifestyle Behavior Changes and Associated Risk Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the Canadian COVIDiet Online Cohort Study by Anne-Julie Tessier, Stéphanie Chevalier et al., was published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. 

Journal Link: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance