Pandemia da Covid-19 e seus impactos no comportamento alimentar de indivíduos da Região Nordeste do Brasil.

Abstract

In 2020, the outbreak of the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID 19) became a public health emergency of international concern. Social distancing is considered by the World Health Organization to be the most effective strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and has caused a series of reconfigurations in society. Faced with the social isolation imposed by governments, several physical and emotional behavioral changes have occurred in the population. Among the psychological and behavioral changes, eating disorders have gained visibility in this time. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the eating behavior of individuals in the Northeast region of Brazil, through a questionnaire made available on the online platform Google Forms. The study was characterized as analytical cross-sectional, involving people older than 18 years, in the period from December 10, 2021 to April 12, 2022. The study was conducted with 240 participants, of which 74.58% of the participants were female, in the age group of 22 to 25 years (43.75%). It was observed that there were changes in eating behavior, influenced by significant changes during the pandemic. It was possible to notice that these changes were in increased behavior, which were mostly associated with increased food intake and with feelings such as distress, fear, guilt, worries, and anxiety. Given the above, it is concluded that it was possible to note the influence of the pandemic on the lives of the population, which culminated in changes in eating behavior.