Effect of COVID-19 on Food Choices and Eating Behaviour: a study protocol

Abstract

Background and Aims Research suggests that many individuals infected with COVID-19 experience changes in taste and smell that can persist for months after the initial infection. These sensory changes can potentially have long-term impacts on dietary choices, nutrition, and body weight. The aim of this study is to explore COVID-related changes in dietary intake among University Students.

Methods A retrospective cohort design will be used to compare a cohort of University Students who experienced COVID-19 infection versus pre-existing data collected from a similar cohort prior to the pandemic. Specifically, the pre-existing data were collected between July 2017 and July 2021. Both datasets comprise of a weighed Food Record and Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. The cohort will also be asked about their experience with COVID-19 and changes in their eating behaviour since before the pandemic. Total daily energy intake, macronutrient intake and composition, will be compared across groups using an ANCOVA analysis controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity.

Discussion Understanding the long-term impact of COVID-19 infection is crucial. While COVID-related sensory changes are hypothesised to have impacts on eating behaviour and dietary choices, it is challenging to perform controlled cohort studies due to the high prevalence of undetected infections. The proposed temporal analyses provide a unique opportunity to test for COVID-related impacts on eating behaviour.

Competing Interest Statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: MP and JM are supported by funding from the Royal Society of New Zealand and Health Research Council New Zealand; JM has conducted research funded by Viatris Ltd.; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Funding Statement

This study did not receive any external funding.

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

University of Otago Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for this work (22/097).

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.

Yes

Data Availability

All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors

留言 (0)

沒有登入
gif