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Effects of Covid 19 on nutrition and mental health

Issues in Nutrition

Sheffield Hallam University

Fleming Mwashako Mwalugho

SN: B8021470

Abstract.

The announcement of the national lockdown in most countries led to the closure of all public and private sectors except for healthcare facilities and a limited number of essential services, people were required to either stay at home or work remotely while practicing social distancing as a way of flattening the covid-19 infection curve. The study objectives were to understand the effects of Covid-19, both positive and negative. A narrative review was carried out using a systematic review approach and a search of the sources was based on two themes, mental health, and nutrition during the pandemic. The findings suggest that Covid-19 had both negative and positive outcomes for individuals, there was a close association between mental health, nutrition, and income levels.

Introduction

As the world is choked with the pandemic disasters like death, over-burden wellbeing framework, and interruption of social and financial foundations, more focus has been directed in controlling the pandemic, the impact caused on people’s lifestyle has led to an upsurge of chronic diseases. Leading to people being forced to stay at home as a control measure to flatten the pandemic curve. Restrictions have led to people’s reduced accessibility to healthy foods, widened people’s social interactions, limiting physical activity levels, increased anxiety and stress levels destabilized peoples sleeping patterns, and encouraged drug and substance abuse.

This is a narrative review to help understand the damages of Covid-19 with the aim of dissecting the impacts of lockdown on people, either negative or positive. This narrative review will help interested researchers in understanding and learning how lockdown affected people’s lifestyles.

Methodology

A Systematic analysis approach is the most appropriate methodology for this study. It allows the researcher to identify networks and themes within a range of selected data. The method is essential in analyzing unstructured data that contains abstract concepts and try generate new ideas. According to Khan, (2003) a systemic review helps in generating unambiguous research questions which can be modified in the process, this allows the researcher some flexibility and adds rigor. Further khan illustrates the importance of reviewing the sources to be used and defining the inclusion and exclusion criteria, this is part of the quality assessment of the sources. On the flip side, while using this method a researcher may be subject to bias hence the need to explore the concept of heterogeneity before, during and after the study.

For this analysis, peer-reviewed articles on the effects of covid 19 lockdowns on mental health and nutrition were included. This was determined by extracting themes in the articles that were directly linked or related to; anxiety, depression, nutritional deficiency, substance abuse, lockdown, and diet. The exclusion criteria included articles that were not peer-reviewed, articles that were published before the pandemic, and studies that were limited geographically. The review is aimed at determining the extent to which the pandemic affected people’s nutritional needs and subsequently how that affected peopled mental health.

Study Findings

Qualitative and quantitative data extracted during the pandemic clearly indicates that people’s lives were affected at different levels. The pre-Covid-19 lifestyle provided a balance to people’s lives. Normal undertakings like going to the office or walking to the market tremendously contributed to nutritional wellbeing and maintaining stable mental health status. According to Han (2021) walking is important in having good mental health and changing one’s perception to health.

Social Behavior and confinement

A cross-sectional study across 64 cities in china with 369 participants concluded that previously active individuals were in greater distress during the lockdown. There was a significant reduction in average exercise intensity across both genders. Further, the research indicated that old populations that were not accustomed to online shopping suffered more since they were not able to do their routine physical shopping in stores. Wang et al (2020)

According to the KFF Health Tracking poll from July 2020, there was negative impacts on mental health reported, with 36% suffering from insomnia, 32% increase in alcohol and drug abuse due to stress and worry over the coronavirus. Prior to covid 19, young adults were already at risk of poor mental health and substance disorder though did not seek medical treatment. However, in the wake of the pandemic young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. This is consistent with Kontoangelos (2020) who denotes that the pandemic predisposed people with pre-existing mental illness and they were uniquely affected.

Change in food intake

Poor people were most affected due to aspects of food availability, accessibility, and affordability. A report from KFF, indicated that low-income earners were more likely to suffer from stress compared to those who had more than the average income. 35% of those earning less than $40,000 reported major stress compared to 21% of those earning between $40,000-$90,000 and 17% of those earning more than $90,000. Panchal,et al (2020). As indicated by Fang, (2021), there is no evidence to indicate that the stimulus programs had an effect on reducing stress and anxiety. Further, the study indicated that nutritional programs faced a lot of stigma from people who did not receive food aid before the pandemic. The loss of access to meals that were initially given out in schools led to financial pressure hence mental breakdowns to parents with school-going children. They were also forced to choose between child care and work which also contributed to psychological problems.

Mental distress during the pandemic

In a study conducted in India, participants’ mood profile during the pandemic was characterized by elevated tension, depression, and fatigue compared to the pre-covid era, the difference was significant, and this derived the idea that covid affected people’s moods. Further, the poor mood has been associated with poor nutrition. According to Firth (2019) low moods have a direct correlation to poor nutrition, it is estimated that 60% of individuals who experience deranged mood swings have poor nutrition and choice of diet.

The closure of alcohol outlets increased the withdrawal symptoms associated with drug use, this was reported in India where the majority of the outcome resulted in neuroleptic diseases. Kumar and Nayar, (2021).

Stress and anxiety during the lockdown was as a result of the destabilization of the food supply chain. People lacked access to healthy foods and this resulted in them engaging in unhealthy behaviors like substance abuse. According to a study conducted in Zimbabwe, Covid-19 lockdown resulted in major disruptions in eating patterns. This was associated with less fruit and vegetable consumption. This was characterized by 96% of the population which subsequently led to a 40% increase in anxiety levels. Further, there were other aspects of a poor diet that were reported with individuals embracing comfort eating as a way of coping with stress and anxiety.

Figure 1. Covid 19 in Zimbabwe and diet alterations

Lockdown led to an increase in food prices, this is evidenced by a survey that 94.8% of the participants reported change in food prices, 64% reported on a steady decrease of diversity of the foods that were being distributed and 43% complained of a reduction in the quality of food distributed. This is a reflection of a disrupted food supply chain due to lockdowns and shows consistency in the intake of poor diets which is closely associated with poor mental health. In addition to that, the studies portray a system that did not take into account pre-existing mental issues. Fang, (2021)

Discussion

From the results, covid-19 created a major shift in nutritional and mental issues that existed. This was compounded by the already existing health inequalities. As indicated in the results above, individuals from low-income communities were most affected compared to those from affluent communities. Income is a social determinant of health and individuals who were dependent on a hand-to-mouth economic structure were pushed to little or no choice on their diet. This is inferred in Singu`s article on the impacts of social determinants of health in the united states during the pandemic, where he denotes that individuals with low income have poor dietary choices and this affects their health in general. Dietary patterns have shifted during the pandemic and impacted health by reducing physical exercise.

Closure of Gyms and non-essential outdoor activities discouraged people from remaining physically active and adopted a sedentary lifestyle. Huber et al (2019) argues that any amount of physical activity no matter how little is beneficial to the body and mind. Most studies show a reduction in physical activities during the pandemic which contributed to mental instabilities and engaging in unhealthy behaviors like excessive drinking. While this may have been due to stress and anxiety leading to increased instances of domestic violence.

However, lockdown encouraged individuals to prepare and eat fresh homemade foods likely due to additional time to cook, helping cut down the consumption of fast foods that are high in sugar and can affect mental health. Some people took advantage of the lockdown and created ways to remain active such as gardening and adoption of free online exercises at home. Additionally, people had time to stay together, bond with family members and strengthen relationships. This has proved beneficial in improving mental health.

Conclusion

Covid 19 pandemic and its restrictions had major impacts on people lives. Besides the scare of contracting the disease, mental health and nutrition were negatively and positively impacted. Some individuals finally got time to be healthy as a result of the lockdown while others were disrupted hence experience multiple health risks. The study findings point towards health inequalities and how that was unveiled by the pandemic. The study suggests more research on covid 19, mental health, nutrition and income levels

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