Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nutritional and Lifestyle of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the highly contagious infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The present study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nutritional and lifestyle of patients with DM.

Material & Method: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at medicine OPD of Aarupadai veedu medical college, after obtaining consent questionnaire from the patient for the duration of 3 months. Study participants were all the individuals age more than 18yrs with history of diabetes mellitus. The details of participants were recorded in predesigned proforma which included Age, sex, occupation, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, eating behaviour and hygiene habits.

Result: In present study total of 200 participants fulfilling inclusion criteria and willing to be part of study were included. The mean age of participants was found to be 55.82±13.5yrs. Among them 69% were male and 31% were female participants with male preponderance in the study. 35.5% of the participants responded that they have gained weight of more than 2kg during pandemic compared to before and 17% responded that they decreased the weight more than 2.5kg during the pandemic. 75.5% of participants responded with change in quality of food and 79.0% responded with change in quantity of the food. , 62% responded with changes in the duration of sleep compared to before pandemic and 66.5% responded with increase in stress related to the infection and pandemic

Conclusion: The pandemic lockdown did not show much major changes in overall diabetic control, however there was higher incidence of patients dependent on the carbohydrate diet, stress related to ongoing pandemic with disturbed sleep.