Perception of body image, food consumption, sedentary behavior and physical activity in a Brazilian academic population during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The study evaluates the perception of body image associated with food consumption, sedentary behavior, and practice of physical activity responses during the COVID-19 lockdown in the academic population of a Brazilian University. Four hundred fifteen students answered an online survey during 1-31 May/2020. Frequencies were used to describe the outcomes, and the Chi-square test (p< 0.05) to determine associations. A negative perception of change in body image was found in both females and males (e.g., 73% and 55%, respectively), significantly associated with a perception of an increase in food consumption, watching TV and social media (more than 2 hours), not practicing physical activity in females, and with an increase in food consumption in males. The results presented a general picture of behavioral responses during the COVID-19 pandemic of students in Brazil, suggesting that a negative perception of body image changing has been associated with health-related behaviors, especially in females