COVID-19-Related Quarantine Effect on Dietary Habits in a Northern Italian Rural Population: Data from the Brisighella Heart Study

January 22, 2021

Arrigo F. G. Cicero,Federica Fogacci, Marina Giovannini,Martina Mezzadri, Elisa Grandi, Claudio Borghi and the Brisighella Heart Study Group

Nutrients

The objective of this observational study was to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 quarantine on smoking and dietary habits of a well-characterized rural population in northern Italy. 359 subjects were included from the Brisighella Heart Study cohort (started in 1972 in which, among other parameters, the dietary quality index - DQI is constantly evaluated) during the restrictions applied by the Italian government from February to April 2020 a telephone interview was conducted on their lifestyle habits. It was found that there was no significant modification of the smoking habit, or the body mass index. However, a significant increase was found in the daily consumption of carbohydrates, vegetables, healthy vegetable oils, milk and yogurt, alcoholic beverages, sugars and sweets, and coffee. There was also a significant increase in weekly consumption of low-fat meat, cured meat other than ham, cheeses, eggs, nuts, and mixed seed oil oils. While the weekly intake of fish, mussels and legumes decreased significantly during the confinement. The food quality index decreased from 42.4 ± 4.1 to 37.8 ± 4.7 (p <0.03). From the results obtained, it was concluded that the COVID-19-related quarantine could worsen the quality of the diet, which could also lead to a higher intake of almost all food categories.

Cicero A, Fogacci F, Giovanni M, Mezzadri M, Grandi E, Borghi C & the Brisighella Heart Study GrouP. COVID-19-Related Quarantine Effect on Dietary Habits in aNorthern Italian Rural Population: Data from the Brisighella Heart Study. Nutrients. Doi: 10.3390/nu13020309

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