Healthy Lifestyle Habits in Latin American University Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Center Study

Pablo Valdés-Badilla, Solange Liliana Parra-Soto, Ana Gabriela Murillo, Georgina Gomez, Jacqueline Araneda, Samuel Durán-Agüero, Gladys Morales, Israel Ríos-Castillo, Valeria Carpio Arias, Brian M. Cavagnari, Edna J. Nava-González, Saby Camacho López, Jhon Jairo Bejarano-Roncancio, Beatriz Núñez-Martínez, Karla Cordón-Arrivillaga, Eliana Romina Meza-Miranda, Saby Mauricio-Alza, Leslie Landaeta-Díaz*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Deterioration in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and healthy eating behavior due to the effect of COVID-19 lockdown has been reported. The aim of this study was to associate eating habits and HRQoL with physical activity behavior in Latin American university students during COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Measured 4,859 university students with a mean age of 22.4 years and they were mostly female (73.7%) from 10 Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and, Peru). Eating habits were measured using a survey validated with other university students, HRQoL was assessments using the short version of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) scale and physical activity behavior with a dicotomous question based on the international recommendations for physical activity.Results: There is a higher complaince for all the international recommendations for healthy foods intake in the physically active group of students (p < 0.01), with the exception of alcohol and salt. In addition, physically active students presented a significantly higher HRQoL (p < 0.001) in all the dimensions analyzed when compared to physically inactive students.Conclusions: Latin American university students who are physically active are more likely to have a healthier eating behavior and a lower risk of a decreased HRQoL during COVID-19 pandemic.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)628-634
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of the American Nutrition Association
Volume42
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Nutrition Association.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • General Medicine

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