NUTRITION IN THE TIME OF COVID 19

Question 1

HYPOTHESES ON THE WAYS THE PANDEMIC COULD INFLUENCE DIET AND NUTRITION?

Answer 1

• POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND FEAR OF THE VIRUS LEADING TO POORER DIET
• DUE TO THE FOCUS ON THE PANDEMIC PEOPLE COULD THINK MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING HEALTHY WHICH COULD IMPROVE DIETS
• LACK OF ACCESS TO GROCERIES DURING THE PANDEMIC COULD ALTER DIETS AND HIGHLIGHT INEQUALITIES
• LESS EATING OUT COULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR HEALTH BECAUSE EATING OUT OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH HFSS FOOD
• CHILDREN EAT LESS MEALS AT SCHOOL WHICH COULD BE A GOOD OR A BAD THING, DEPENDING ON THEIR FAMILY SITUATION BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

Question 2

IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON FOOD SYSTEM?

Answer 2

• PANIC BUYING
• WORKER SHORTAGES
• SOME INDUSTRIES PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO OUTBREAKS BECAUSE THE WORKERS WORK CLOSE TOGETHER (E.G. MEAT INDUSTRY)
• NEW OBSTACLES FOR FOOD INDUSTRY LED TO HIGHER FOOD PRICES
• PANDEMIC OVERLAPS WITH IMPACTS OF BREXIT (MAKES THE SITUATION EVEN WORSE)

Question 3

4 MAIN THEMES REGARDING PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES EATING DURING LOCKDOWNS?

Answer 3

• HAVING FOOD DELIVERED FROM SHOPS MEANT IT DIDN’T LAST AS LONG AS USUALLY BECAUSE IT HASN’T BEEN PICKED BY THE PEOPLE BUYING (E.G. GETTING FOOD NEAR EXPIRY DATE, NOT GETTING THE FRESHEST FRUIT AND VEG)
• EATING OUT OF BOREDOM, EATING TO IMPROVE MOOD, LACK OF MOTIVATION TO COOK, OPTING FOR COMFORT FOODS
• MORE TIME MEANT MORE COOKING, SOME PEOPLE FOUND HOBBIES RELATED TO FOOD (E.G. GROWING VEGETABLES, INVESTING IN COOKING EQUIPMENT..)
• PEOPLE MOTIVATED TO BE HEALTHY TO BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS AND FIGHT COVID

Question 4

INFLUENCE OF PANDEMIC ON PUBLIC HEALTH?

Answer 4

• A LOT OF FAMILIES RELY ON THEIR CHILDREN GETTING MEALS FROM SCHOOL, WHICH WEREN’T PROVIDED DURING LOCKDOWN; THIS LEAD TO FAMILIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE MEALS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR NOW STARTING TO RECEIVE THEM DURING HOLIDAYS TOO
• BORIS JOHNSON BLAMED HIS BAD EXPERIENCE WITH COVID ON HIS WEIGHT AND IT CHANGED HIS VIEWS ON NUTRITION, WHICH LEAD TO MORE INTEREST AROUND ADDRESSING CAUSES OF OBESITY
• REORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE; UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY FORMED

Question 5

WHICH PUBLIC HEALTH BODY HAS BEEN FORMED DURING THE PANDEMIC?

Answer 5

UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY

Question 6

HOW DOES OBESITY EXPLAIN INCREASED COVID-19 RISK?

Answer 6

• OBESITY INCREASES ACE2 MEMBRANE PROTEIN EXPRESSION AND VIRAL ENTRY INTO TARGET CELLS IS FACILITATED BY BINDING OF SARS-CoV-2 SPIKE PROTEIN TO ACE2 (SO IF THERE’S MORE ACE2 THE VIRUS WILL ATTACK THE CELLS MORE EFFECTIVELY)
• OBESITY IS A CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY PROCESS AND INFLAMMATION IS KEY IN AETIOLOGY OF SEVERE COVID 19
• THERE ARE CHANGES IN PULMONARY MECHANISMS IN OBESE PEOPLE