Has COVID-19 Changed the Lifestyle and Dietary Habits in the Spanish Population after Confinement?

Abstract

Since 2020, the world has been immersed in a change in lifestyle (social, lifestyle, nutri-tion and physical activity patterns), due to the appearance of COVID-19 and the strict mobility measures which were implemented to prevent its spread. All these changes had a nutritional impact on people, modifying their dietary guidelines. This cross-sectional study was carried out to assess whether dietary habits, lifestyle, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet among the Spanish adult population (25-65 years old) during confinement was modified during the post-confinement period, using an e-survey through social networks, involving 510 subjects. A decrease in the intake of ultra-processed products, with a correlation between weekly food delivery orders at home and the consumption of salty snacks, sugary drinks, and processed pastries was also recorded. Most of the subjects performed physical exercise on a regular basis, maintaining the body weight in half of the participants. During the post-confinement period a substantial proportion of the population had healthy lifestyle and dietary habits, including the adequate consumption of fruits, vegetables and legumes; adequate time was spent preparing meals and the population did not regularly order food at home, which in the long term, reduced the risk of several diseases.