Table 3.
Mean ± SD (95% confidence intervals) reported changes to food intake in response to the COVID-19 lockdown.
| Variable | n | M ± SD (95% CI) | Individual response % (n) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decreased | No change | Increased | |||
| Overall changes | |||||
| Overall amount changed | 559 | 4.5 ± 17.9 (3.1, 6.0) | 27% (150) | 25% (141) | 48% (268) |
| Snack amount changed | 559 | 6.0 ± 21.7 (4.2, 7.8) | 26% (147) | 20% (114) | 53% (298) |
| Meal amount changed | 559 | 1.2 ± 15.7 (−0.2, 2.5) | 23% (131) | 46% (255) | 31% (173) |
| Food cravings changed | 559 | 5.9 ± 20.5 (4.2, 7.6) | 23% (129) | 31% (175) | 46% (255) |
| Food craving intensity changed | 559 | 2.8 ± 18.4 (1.3, 4.3) | 23% (129) | 41% (230) | 36% (200) |
| Specific food types | |||||
| Sweet snacks foods changeda | 549 | −1.6 ± 15.0 (−2.9, −0.3) | 26% (145) | 46% (251) | 28% (153) |
| Savoury snacks foods changeda | 549 | 0.2 ± 12.6 (−0.9, 1.2) | 22% (123) | 49% (270) | 28% (156) |
| Savoury meal foods changeda | 549 | −1.2 ± 13.2 (−2.3, −0.9) | 24% (133) | 50% (277) | 25% (139) |
| Fruit intake changed | 549 | 7.3 ± 18.0 (5.7, 8.8) | 16% (87) | 36% (196) | 48% (266) |
| Vegetable intake changed | 549 | 9.0 ± 16.8 (7.6, 10.4) | 11% (63) | 40% (217) | 49% (269) |
Scores ranged from ‘-50 = I eat a lot less’ to ‘50 = I eat a lot more’, with ‘50 = I eat the same amount’.
Percentages were computed based on scores ≤ -6 = decreased intake; −5 to 5 = no change; ≥6 = increased intake.
Different sample sizes are due to participants dropping out of the survey.
Note.
a
Average scores computed from responses to individual food items, high energy dense foods.