Impact of COVID-19 on dietary intake, sleeping patterns and physical activity levels among Malaysian University students

Le Zhen Lee; Shi-Hui Cheng

doi:10.1515/ijamh-2022-0119

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Article

Impact of COVID-19 on dietary intake, sleeping patterns and physical activity levels among Malaysian University students

Le Zhen Lee and Shi-Hui Cheng

Published/Copyright: February 21, 2023

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From the journal International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health Volume 35 Issue 2

Abstract

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a significant impact on people’s behaviour and lifestyles. Limited research has been conducted on the impact of COVID-19 on Malaysian university students’ lifestyle modifications. This study aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 on dietary intake, sleeping patterns and physical activity levels among Malaysian university students.

Methods

A total of 261 university students were recruited. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were collected. Dietary intake was assessed using PLifeCOVID-19 questionnaire, sleep quality was assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire (PSQI) while physical activity level was assessed using International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Forms (IPAQ-SF). SPSS was used to perform statistical analysis.

Results

30.7% of the participants adhered to the unhealthy dietary pattern, 48.7% had poor quality of sleep and 59.4% engaged in low physical activity levels during the pandemic. Unhealthy dietary pattern was significantly associated with a lower IPAQ category (p=0.013), and increased time spent sitting (p=0.027) during the pandemic. Participants being underweight before the pandemic (aOR=2.472, 95% CI=1.358–4.499), increased takeaway meal consumption (aOR=1.899, 95% CI=1.042–3.461), increased snacking between meals consumption (aOR=2.989, 95% CI=1.653–5.404) and engaged in a low level of physical activity during pandemic (aOR=1.935, 95% CI=1.028–3.643) were the predictors of unhealthy dietary pattern.

Conclusions

The university students’ dietary intake, sleeping patterns, and physical activity levels were impacted in different ways during the pandemic. Strategies and interventions should be developed and implemented to improve the dietary intake and lifestyle of the students.

Keywords: COVID-19; dietary intake; Malaysian; physical activity levels; sleeping patterns; university students

Corresponding author: Shi-Hui Cheng, School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, 43500 Selangor, Malaysia, E-mail: ShiHui.Cheng@nottingham.edu.my

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
Ethical approval: The present study was approved by the Science & Engineering Research Ethics Committee of the University of Nottingham Malaysia (Ethics approval ID: LLZ021121).

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Received: 2022-12-15

Accepted: 2023-02-06

Published Online: 2023-02-21

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2022-0119

Keywords for this article

COVID-19; dietary intake; Malaysian; physical activity levels; sleeping patterns; university students