Dataset Information

Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study.

ABSTRACT: During the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown, various changes of dietary habits are observed, including both positive and negative ones. However, the food choice determinants in this period were not studied so far for children and adolescents. The study aimed to analyze the changes in the food choice determinants of secondary school students in a national sample of Polish adolescents within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The study was conducted in May 2020, based on the random quota sampling of schools (for voivodeships and counties) and a number of 2448 students from all the regions of Poland participated. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) (36 items) was applied twice-to analyze separately current choices (during the period of COVID-19 pandemic) and general choices (when there was no COVID-19 pandemic). For both the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, sensory appeal and price were indicated as the most important factors (with the highest scores). However, differences were observed between the scores of specific factors, while health (p < 0.0001) and weight control (p < 0.0001) were declared as more important during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the period before, but mood (p < 0.0001) and sensory appeal (p < 0.0001) as less important. The observations were confirmed for sub-groups, while female and male respondents were analyzed separately. It can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the food choice determinants of Polish adolescents, as it may have increased the importance of health and weight control, but reduced the role of mood and sensory appeal. This may be interpreted as positive changes promoting the uptake of a better diet than in the period before the pandemic.

SUBMITTER: Glabska D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7551462 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study.

Głąbska Dominika D Skolmowska Dominika D Guzek Dominika D

Nutrients 20200830 9

During the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown, various changes of dietary habits are observed, including both positive and negative ones. However, the food choice determinants in this period were not studied so far for children and adolescents. The study aimed to analyze the changes in the food choice determinants of secondary school students in a national sample of Polish adolescents within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study popul ...[more]

PMID: 32872577

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Project description:Food preferences are among the most influential factors of food habits in the vulnerable period of adolescence; in addition, gender-dependent differences in food preferences are also observed. The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in food habits between individuals stratified based on their food preferences in a population-based sample of adolescents aged 15-20. The study was conducted within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population in a group of 2419 secondary school students who were randomly chosen to participate in the study using a random quota sampling procedure. The food preferences were determined on the basis of a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) (which enables assessing preference of vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches), whereas food habits were determined on the basis of the Adolescents' Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) (which enables assessing food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits). The analysis involved three homogenous clusters ('low-preferring', 'hedonists', and 'high-preferring'), which were identified using the k-means algorithm. It was found that for a number of the assessed food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits, there were statistically significant differences between the 'low-preferring', 'hedonists', and 'high-preferring' clusters. Within food purchase habits, the food preference influenced frequency of buying pastries/cakes and frequency of eating takeaway meals for all the respondents, while for female respondents, it influenced also choice of desserts in restaurants, and for male respondents, it influenced choosing a low-fat lunch away from home (p < 0.05). Within food preparation habits, the food preference influenced the fat content in desserts at home, the frequency of eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad with an evening meal, the frequency of spreading butter/margarine on bread thinly, and the frequency of having cream on desserts for all the respondents; meanwhile, for female respondents, it also influenced the frequency of avoiding fried foods and the frequency of including chocolate/biscuits in their packed lunch (p < 0.05). Within food consumption habits, the food preference influenced the frequency of eating a dessert/pudding, eating at least one serving of fruit a day, eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad a day, avoiding sausages/burgers, trying to ensure they eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and frequency of choosing fruit as a snack for all the respondents; meanwhile, for male respondents, it also influenced the frequency of eating sweet snacks and eating at least three servings of fruit most days (p < 0.05). Taking into account that some improper food habits may be typical for the specific clusters, there is an urgent need to analyze and address them for the purposes of public health and to bear in mind that some of those habits are gender-dependent.

Project description:During the coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the basic strategy that is recommended to reduce the spread of the disease is to practice proper hand hygiene and personal protective behaviors, but among adolescents, low adherence is common. The present study aimed to assess the gender-dependent hand hygiene and personal protective behaviors in a national sample of Polish adolescents. The Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study was conducted in a group of 2323 secondary school students (814 males, 1509 females). Schools were chosen based on the random quota sampling procedure. The participants were surveyed to assess their knowledge and beliefs associated with hand hygiene and personal protection, as well as their actual behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of respondents gave proper answers when asked about their knowledge. However, females displayed a higher level of knowledge (p < 0.05). Most of the respondents declared not leaving home, handwashing, using alcohol-based hand rub, avoiding contact with those who may be sick, and avoiding public places as their personal protective behaviors. They declared using face masks and gloves after the legal regulation requiring people to cover their nose and mouth in public places was enacted in Poland. Regarding the use of face masks and not touching the face, no gender-dependent differences were observed, while for all the other behaviors, females declared more adherence than males (p < 0.05). Females also declared a higher daily frequency of handwashing (p < 0.0001) and washing their hands always when necessary more often than males (68.2% vs. 54.1%; p < 0.0001). Males more often indicated various reasons for not handwashing, including that there is no need to do it, they do not feel like doing it, they have no time to do it, or they forget about it (p < 0.0001), while females pointed out side effects (e.g., skin problems) as the reason (p = 0.0278). Females more often declared handwashing in circumstances associated with socializing, being exposed to contact with other people and health (p < 0.05), and declared always including the recommended steps in their handwashing procedure (p < 0.05). The results showed that female secondary school students exhibited a higher level of knowledge on hand hygiene and personal protection, as well as better behaviors, compared to males. However, irrespective of gender, some false beliefs and improper behaviors were observed, which suggests that education is necessary, especially in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project description:BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic has significantly affected individuals and entire societies. It has caused a number of adverse consequences for public health. It has contributed to lower average life expectancy and significantly reduced the sense of health security. It has affected not only physical but also mental health. COVID-19 infections have become so common in many countries, including Poland, that almost every member of society has either experienced it themselves or has a family member or friend who have been affected by the disease. The investigations undertaken in the article concern the fear of COVID-19 infection among Polish university students, determined by the experience of the disease -whether direct or among loved ones.MethodsAn online survey was conducted with 851 students. It took place between 1 and 15 March 2021, a year after detection of the first case of infection with the virus in Poland. The aim of the study was to find out about the relationship between the experience of COVID-19 disease (whether direct or among people close to the respondent) and fear of this disease among university students in Poland. The analysis used intergroup comparison tests (Mann-Whitney U Test and t-test).ResultsThe results indicate that the level of fear of COVID-19 among Polish university students was low (M = 1.98; SD = .49), with women (M = 2.04; SD = .75) presenting statistically higher (t (620.46) = 3.05; p = .002) fear than men (M = 1.87; SD = .74). The situation of the respondent having had a close person fall ill with COVID-19 or die as a result of coronavirus infection was found to be significant for the level of experienced fear of COVID-19 in the studied group (t (469.46) = -2.98; p = .003).ConclusionsThe significantly higher level of fear in the group of young people who knew someone close with severe (fatal) COVID-19 disease indicates that psychological support may be more significant for such people than for individuals who have not experienced such a situation. A similar conclusion can be formulated taking into account the gender criterion, as the results make it possible to predict that women expect more support in a pandemic situation.

Dataset Information

Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study.

Publications

Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study.

Similar Datasets

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