The Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Staff Dietary Behaviours, Sleeping Patterns, and Well-Being: An International Comparison Study

Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh and Abdelraheim Titi, Maher and Frankowska, Natalia and Kowalczyk, Katarzyna and Alziedan, Rasmieh and Yin-Kei Lau, Christine and Biernat, Karolina and Brown, Kyle G. (2023) The Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Staff Dietary Behaviours, Sleeping Patterns, and Well-Being: An International Comparison Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20 (20). p. 6941. ISSN 1660-4601

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Abstract

This study assessed the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being by measuring the changes to food security, dietary behaviour, and sleeping patterns of university staff in England, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and China. Using a cross-sectional study design, participants in four universities in the respective countries were surveyed between June and July 2020. The mean age of the 902 participants was 42 years old and 67% were female. The findings indicate a reduction in emotionally driven food behaviour [t (901.00) = −20.87, p <  0.001], food acquisition location [t (901.00) = −51.55, p < 0.001], skipping meals [t (901.00) = −24, p < 0.001], and consumption of canned fruit and vegetables [t (901.00) = −10.18, p < 0.001]. However, home cooking [t (901.00) = 36.61, p < 0.001] and the food shopping experience [t (901.00) = 4.53, p <  0.001] markedly increased during lockdown. The participants had higher levels of well-being during the pandemic and experienced a significant increase in sleeping hours (p < 0.001). Increased age and sleeping hours were positively associated with overall well-being. Conversely, emotionally driven food behaviour (i.e., buying and eating more food out of boredom/fear or anxiety) and skipping meals decreased the overall well-being. Lockdown had beneficial effects on dietary behaviours, sleeping patterns, and well-being, but there were variations between countries.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3390/ijerph20206941
Dates:	Date Event 13 October 2023 Accepted 19 October 2023 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	COVID-19, lockdown, dietary behaviour, sleeping patterns, well-being, university staff, international comparison
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-06 - allied health > CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific)
Divisions:	Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > College of Health and Care Professions
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	24 Oct 2023 09:45
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2023 09:45
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/14862

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