Feeding behavior and nutritional status of university students of the health area during the covid-19 pandemic period

Eating behavior is conceptualized from the reactions to food involving all actions related to the act of eating, which was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, including among university students. The study aimed to relate the eating behavior and nutritional status of the health area students before, during and after the period of social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted with 218 students, containing sociodemographic questions, about the COVID-19, self-reported weight, and height and nutritional status was classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) reference (1998). The Dutch Food Frequency Questionnaire was also used, which evaluates eating styles, and which was classified from the Periodic Binge Eating Scale to identify individuals with or without binge eating. The results were considered significant at a maximum significance level of 5%. There was a significant increase in weight and Body mass index (BMI) after the social isolation period, when compared to the previous period (p=0.01). It was observed that the absence of compulsion was associated with thinness, moderate compulsion with overweight and severe compulsion with obesity (p=0.042, p=0.025, and p=0.002). A significant increase in emotional eating was observed during social isolation compared to the period before and after social isolation (p=0.01), and for restricted eating showed a significant decrease during isolation (p=0.01). The pandemic negatively affected the eating behavior and nutritional status of the health area students.