Health behaviour changes during COVID-19 and the potential consequences: A mini-review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about profound changes to social behaviour. While calls to identify mental health effects that may stem from these changes should be heeded, there is also a need to examine potential changes with respect to health behaviours. Media reports have signalled dramatic shifts in sleep, substance use, physical activity and diet, which may have subsequent downstream mental health consequences. We briefly discuss the interplay between health behaviours and mental health, and the possible changes in these areas resulting from anti-pandemic measures. We also highlight a call for greater research efforts to address the short and long-term consequences of changes to health behaviours.

“Do I have enough food?” How need for cognitive closure and gender impact stockpiling and food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-national study in India and the United States of America

“…According to Harper et al (2020) , the fear of COVID contagion predicted a series of behaviors including limiting social contacts, maintaining social distance, working remotely and purchasing personal protective equipment ( Addo et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, the lockdown impacted individuals' health behaviors with a change in dietary habits (with increased home-cooking and consumption of snacks) but at the same time inducing a more sedentary lifestyle (for instance, due to the limitation to practice sports and similar physical activities outside; Arora & Grey, 2020 ).…”

Behavioral Changes During COVID-19 Confinement in France: A Web-Based Study

“…In November 2019, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), emerged in Wuhan, China. Since then, COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world, leading to a pandemic that caused half of humanity to be in lockdown [1].…”

“…The literature [16][17][18] has demonstrated the existing correlation between the effects of social, environmental and context-related factors and living conditions on the health and wellbeing of individuals, and the associated risk factors, via an influence on habits, behaviors, choices and lifestyles, as well as on resilience capacities. The second group of factors are related to the individual behaviors and lifestyles which impact the health and wellbeing of people [19]. A subsequent hypothesis we made was the potential intertwined effects that the two groups of factors could have together.…”

Behavioral Changes During COVID-19 Confinement in France: A Web-Based Study

“…Existing research testifies to the reciprocal nature of interactions between physical well-being, chronic disease and mortality, with key health behaviors such as smoking, physical activity, reduced alcohol consumption, diet and obesity [17]. Moreover, it is also clear that such behaviors have an impact on mental health.…”