SELECTED NUTRITION ASPECTS OF ADULTS IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC DURING LOCKDOWN AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES DUE TO COVID-19.

The research work was aimed at the analysis of eating patterns of Slovaks under the influence of pandemic situation and comparison with this situation before pandemic. We evaluated the changes of nutrition of adult volunteers before and after lockdown respectively after home isolation and preventive safeguards avoided the propagation of COVID-19 during the first pandemic wave. Research was conducted in June - July 2020. The research sample involved 286 (79.4% women, 20.6% men) randomly selected adults (26 - 79 years, 52.4 ± 19.7 years). The online survey questionnaire method and softver Statistica verzion 10.0 (StatSoft Inc., USA) were used. Three scientific hypotheses were confirmed: H1: The pandemic lockdown changed the eating habits lead to raised ration of volunteers by increased body weight. Increase in body weight was noticed in 42.7% (44.9% women, 33.9% men) (p < 0.001). The occurrence of overweighed or obese people under pandemic raised from 29.7% up to 31.5%. H2: Volunteers with increased body weight during pandemic lockdown prefer unhealthy eating patterns (overeating, consumption of snacks, fatty food). The prevalence percentage of volunteers consumed unhealthy food (with higher content of sugar, salt, fat, snacks between meals, eating at night). It has been confirmed significant impact of consumption of unhealthy food on body weight (p < 0.001). During pandemic decrease the proportion of respondents that very rarely or never consumed unhealthy food. H3: During pandemic lockdown the proportion of people with sufficient drinking regime increased in comparison with situation before pandemic. The score in liquid intake positively increased during pandemic. It has been confirmed significant influence of isolation on liquid intake (p < 0.01). During pandemic significantly (p < 0.01) raised up the proportion of volunteers by 9.8% that intake more than 2.5 liter of liquid daily. Our research confirmed three proposed hypotheses and verified the several nutritional aspects and negative effects of pandemic on nutrition especially in group of overweighed people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]