Food and coronavirus

Kevin Walsh, a Teaching Fellow in Nutrition and Dietetics in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, looks at the effect of social distancing rules on nutritional intake in the general population. Many countries around the world have advised the public to minimise the frequency of food shopping as far as possible. But how does this affect what people buy?  

“Foods with longer shelf lives appear to be an adaptive change in food choice in line with this advice. Tinning and curing often coincides with higher amounts of salt or sugar in final food products, which can impact weight and blood pressure. It remains to be seen if the relative increase in consumption of these foods will have a longer-term effect on the cardiovascular health of the nation.  

“On a positive note, many companies in recent years have reformulated their products to reduce both salt and sugar content which may give customers the best of both worlds. Frozen fruit and vegetables generally do not contain added salt or sugar so could be an even healthier option if there is access to a freezer.” 

With a large proportion of the population working from home, at home following furlough, unable to work, or self-quarantining or shielding, this also has an impact on what and how people eat, as Kevin explains. 

Choosing healthy snack alternatives such as fruit (fresh, frozen or dried), unsalted nuts, or even wholegrain crackers, and where possible preparing meals at home is advisable.” 

And what about the psychological impact of isolation? How does that affect eating? 

Kevin suggests a number of impacts:  

• Mental wellbeing: isolation and the constant barrage of news about the COVID-19 pandemic will have significant effects on the mental wellbeing of the population.  

• Appetite: Such an environment may also impact on people’s interest in food; for some a loss of appetite and reduced food intake, while for others an increase in stress- or comfort-eating.  
• Physical health: Both of the above will have negative impacts on health which could include undernutrition or conversely weight gain and increased risks associated with this. 
• Drinking: Alcohol consumption may also rise in this environment, further affecting psychological wellbeing and contributing to increased risk of weight gain.  

Aside from effects on food choice, lockdown orders and gym closures make taking physical exercise more fraught, states Kevin. Coupled with possible increased intake of high-calorie snacks, takeaway foods and alcohol, a reduction in physical activity will further contribute to weight gain and possibly low mood.  

“As such it remains important to include some physical activity daily, indoors or outdoors in line with government advice,” he suggests. 

“Currently, general dietary advice remains in effect: eating a wide variety of foods, taking at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, including high-fibre starchy foods at meals along with adequate protein sources while limiting foods high in salt, saturated fat and sugar.” 

According to a recently published Global Nutrition Report, malnutrition is putting hundreds of millions of people around the world at increased risk from coronavirus, with warnings that global hunger could double because of the pandemic. Dr Modou Jobarteh, a Research Associate in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, argues that the lockdown poses a disproportionate nutritional burden on society’s poorest populations and there is a need for a COVID-19 food and nutrition preparedness plan.   

Efforts have been made by councils and charities in parts of the UK to provide housing for the homeless. The efforts are further complemented by the delivery of food bags to those in need. In addition, food vouchers valued at £25 per child are distributed fortnightly to low income families with school-going children and who are already entitled to free school meals.  

“Whilst these are laudable efforts,” Dr Jobarteh says, “the UK government and local councils should quickly put in place a concerted effort to ensure no one is left behind.” 

So what should that effort look like? Dr Jobarteh suggests three main steps:  

• A comprehensive COVID-19 food and nutrition preparedness plan should be enacted to ensure minimal-to-no disruption of food supply to UK households.  
• This plan should highlight strategies for protection of food production from farm to fork.  
• Adequate support should be provided to farmers who might have lost valuable manpower around their farms to ensure the continuous production and distribution of foods. 
• Government and councils should work with supermarkets and other food vendors to ensure there is no unnecessary inflation in the prices of essential food stocks. 

Further support, beyond the current £25 weekly food voucher, should be provided to low income families to increase the availability and consumption of healthy nutritious diets, especially families with nutritionally vulnerable individuals, such as children under the age of 5 years, adolescents, pregnant women and elderly. 

Looking beyond supporting those in need in the UK, Dr Jobarteh says: “The UK government should maintain, if not increase, its commitment to supporting the nutritional health of populations in low- and middle-income countries through the Department of International Development (DFID), and charities that provide such support. In the present circumstances, leaders of the G7/G20 block of nations should fosters a tighter collaboration to support and maintain an undisrupted global food production and supply in any way possible.”