Marcadores de alimentação saudável e não saudável e fatores associados, durante a pandemia de COVID-19, em trabalhadores de uma instituição de ensino privada no Sul do Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational stress, routine changes and negative emotions are some of the factors that may have been influenced by the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and, furthermore, are aspects that can lead to changes in food consumption. Objective: To evaluate the consumption of foods that are markers of healthy and unhealthy eating and associated factors in workers at a private Higher Education Institution in southern Brazil, during the initial period of isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study, performed using a self-administered electronic questionnaire (July/August 2020). Sociodemographic, nutritional, psychosocial, health risk behaviors and food consumption aspects (regular consumption of healthy and unhealthy food markers) were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-Square test and Poisson regression, considering a confidence interval of 95%. Results: Of the 170 workers, 25.3% and 26.2% had regular consumption of healthy and unhealthy eating markers, respectively. It was identified that individuals with depressive symptoms were less likely to have regular consumption of healthy eating markers (PR: 0.37; p=0.007) and more likely to consume unhealthy eating markers (PR: 1.89; p =0.027). Also, it was observed that male participants (PR: 2.60; p≤0.001) and individuals aged <37 years (PR: 1.80; p=0.036) were more likely to have regular consumption of markers of unhealthy eating. Conclusion: Psychological and demographic aspects can influence the food consumption of the workers investigated, emphasizing the importance of measures that promote food and nutrition education.