Table 1.
Socio-demographic characteristics and weight status of the respondents during the COVID-19 lockdown.
| Variable | Frequency, n (%) | Mean ± Standard Deviation |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | - | |
| Male | 378 (36.2) | |
| Female | 667 (63.8) | |
| Age (years old) | 22.66 ± 2.47 | |
| 18–24 | 843 (80.7) | |
| 25–30 | 202 (19.3) | |
| Ethnicity | - | |
| Malay | 621 (59.4) | |
| Chinese | 170 (16.3) | |
| Indian | 230 (22.0) | |
| Others | 24 (2.3) | |
| Marital status | - | |
| Single | 978 (94.4) | |
| Married | 50 (4.8) | |
| Divorced/Widowed | 8 (0.8) | |
| Educational attainment | - | |
| No formal education/Primary | 18 (1.7) | |
| Secondary | 137 (13.1) | |
| Tertiary | 890 (85.2) | |
| Weight status (kg) | ||
| Sustained weight | 156 (14.9) | 0 |
| Weight loss | 379 (36.3) | −4.90 ± 4.38 |
| Weight gain | 510 (48.8) | 4.06 ± 3.23 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | ||
| Before the pandemic | ||
| Underweight | 186 (17.8) | |
| Normal | 443 (42.4) | 22.78 ± 4.87 a |
| Overweight | 159 (15.2) | |
| Obese | 257 (24.6) | |
| During the pandemic | ||
| Underweight | 162 (15.5) | |
| Normal | 450 (43.1) | 22.85 ± 4.70 a |
| Overweight | 166 (15.9) | |
| Obese | 267 (25.6) |
a Mean difference was tested with a paired samples t-test. Different letters indicate significant difference at p < 0.05.