Food habits in the Galician population during confinement by COVID-19

Introduction: during the COVID-19 crisis food habits have changed among the population as food consumption is now carried out totally at home, and visits to groceries or food centers have decreased considerably. Likewise, other habits, such as physical activity or sleeping hours have also been modified. Objectives: the objective of this work was to evaluate the changes occurred in eating and lifestyle habits among the adult Galician population during the confinement period ordered in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: a survey was conducted using Microsoft Forms, and spread among the population using an instant messaging service for mobiles through the internet. Results: a total of 1350 Galician adults completed the questionnaire; mean of age was 63.2 +/- 8.1 years, 30 % were men, and 70 % were women. The obtained data show a trend towards consumption of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, and a decrease in less healthy ones such as processed foods. In total, 46 % of the population reported they were eating more than before the confinement, with an increase in snacking between meals (54 %) and in anxiety about food due to situations of stress or nervousness bieng reported by 40 % of respondents. This has resulted in an increase in body weight, reported by 44 % of participants, with the average gain being 2.8 +/- 1.5 kg. Conclusions: during confinement, the eating and lifestyle habits of the Galician population have been modified. The weight gain observed in a population that already had a high level of overweight and obesity at confinement onset aggravates the present situation and may have a negative impact on the development of chronic, non-communicable diseases.