‘Pandemic had negative impact on many people’s diets’

More than a third of parents say their diet has become less healthy since the pandemic, while almost six in 10 say the same of their children, according to new research.

The Food Standards Scotland (FSS) study found that the pandemic has had an impact on eating habits, with an increase in snacking behaviour as people reported eating out of boredom and having more takeaway meals.

Almost four in 10 (39%) people reported that their weight has increased since the national lockdown in March 2020, while 43% said it has stayed the same and the remainder reported a decrease.

While 33% of people in Scotland feel their diet has improved since lockdown, almost a quarter (23%) said it is worse.

Among parents, more than a third (34%) think their diet has become less healthy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, while 17% feel their child’s diet is now less healthy.

Dr Gillian Purdon, head of nutrition science and policy at FSS, said that Covid-19, as well as other issues like Brexit and climate change, has affected people’s eating habits.

She said: “It’s been a difficult two years, and we’re continuing to navigate the uncertain economic and social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and wider global issues.

“During this time, many of us changed the way we eat. This latest report revealed that 88% of adults in Scotland understand that an unhealthy diet can lead to poor health.

“From March 2020, with more time spent at home, snacking increased by over 30%. Trips to takeaways also doubled, largely due to the restrictions on the out-of-home market which includes restaurants, cafes and pubs.

“This latest snapshot of our eating habits during the pandemic once again underlines how discretionary products such as cakes, biscuits, pastries, savoury snacks, sugary drinks and drinks containing alcohol continue to represent too high a proportion of the food purchased into our homes, particularly within households in the most deprived areas of Scotland.”

Latest figures show that around two out of three people in Scotland are living with obesity or being overweight.

These people are “significantly more likely to become seriously ill and be admitted to intensive care with Covid-19, compared to those with a healthy body mass index (BMI)”, the report states.

The FSS study drew on a number of recent surveys and reports.

A separate report from Obesity Action Scotland, published on Monday, also found many people reported that their eating habits had worsened since the start of the pandemic.

In March 2021 an average of 52% of respondents said they ate more out of boredom since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

More than half of adults with children present at home (52%) reported eating to cheer themselves up, compared with 44% in households without children.

Meanwhile, 47% of those questioned said their bodyweight was higher in March 2021 than it had been in March 2020.

The survey of 2,244 adults for the Obesity Action Scotland research was carried out online between March 24 and 26 2021.

Lorraine Tulloch, programme lead of Obesity Action Scotland, said: “Both Obesity Action Scotland and FSS’s reports highlight the significant impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on our diets and weight.

“This is particularly concerning as the pandemic brought into sharp focus that people living with overweight and obesity were at greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19 alongside the greater risk of other health conditions such as diabetes and cancer.”