The COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the lifestyles of Brazilian adolescents

Cross-sectional study carried out with adolescents who participated in the survey “ConVid Adolescentes – Pesquisa de Comportamentos”. The indicators related to lifestyles before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated: consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods, physical activity and sedentary behavior, smoking and consumption of alcohol. Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the total population and according to sex and age group.

Results:

A total of 9,470 adolescents participated in the study. During the period of social distancing, there was an increase in the prevalence of vegetables consumption (from 27.34 to 30.5%), frozen foods (from 13.26 to 17.3%), chocolates and sweets (from 48.58 to 52.51%), and time in front of screens (from 44.57 to 70.15%). On the other hand, there was a decrease in the practice of physical activity (from 28.70 to 15.74%) and in the consumption of alcohol (from 17.72 to 12.77%). Differences were observed according to sex and age group.

Conclusion:

The results show changes in the lifestyle of adolescents and an increase in health risk behaviors.

Keywords:
Coronavirus infections; Social isolation; Lifestyle; Adolescent

Variables		Before the pandemic — % (95%CI)	During the pandemic — % (95%CI)	p-value
Regular consumption of vegetables
	Total	27.34 (25.97 – 28.76)	30.5 (29.03 – 32.01)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	28.52 (26.89 – 30.22)	32.58 (30.82 – 34.39)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	26.15 (23.97 – 28.45)	28.38 (26.06 – 30.82)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	27.81 (26.01 – 29.69)	30.95 (29.02 – 32.95)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	26.36 (24.43 – 28.39)	29.55 (27.52 – 31.67)	< 0.001
Regular consumption of fruit
	Total	30.89 (29.37 – 32.46)	31.56 (30.05 – 33.12)	0.168
Sex	Female	30.54 (28.81 – 32.32)	32.02 (30.25 – 33.83)	0.020
Sex	Male	31.25 (28.77 – 33.85)	31.1 (28.66 – 33.66)	0.603
Age	12 to 15	32.58 (30.56 – 34.66)	32.92 (30.92 – 34.99)	0.625
Age	16 to 17	27.37 (25.35 – 29.50)	28.73 (26.68 – 30.87)	0.102
Inadequate consumption of frozen foods
	Total	13.26 (12.11 – 14.51)	17.3 (16.08 – 18.59)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	12.93 (11.74 – 14.22)	18.29 (16.94 – 19.73)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	13.6 (11.66 – 15.81)	16.28 (14.28 – 18.50)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	13.39 (11.85 – 15.10)	16.53 (14.94 – 18.25)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	13.0 (11.58 – 14.56)	18.91 (17.21 – 20.75)	< 0.001
Inadequate consumption of potato chips
	Total	25.14 (23.65 – 26.69)	24.22 (22.78 – 25.73)	0.029
Sex	Female	27.39 (25.66 – 29.18)	26.56 (24.87 – 28.33)	0.175
Sex	Male	22.86 (20.47 – 25.44)	21.85 (19.54 – 24.35)	0.084
Age	12 to 15	26.08 (24.10 – 28.16)	23.93 (22.03 – 25.94)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	23.17 (21.25 – 25.21)	24.83 (22.84 – 26.94)	0.045
Inadequate consumption of chocolates and sweets
	Total	48.58 (46.92 – 50.24)	52.51 (50.83 – 54.17)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	54.98 (53.12 – 56.84)	58.06 (56.19 – 59.90)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	42.08 (39.39 – 44.82)	46.86 (44.12 – 49.63)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	47.63 (45.44 – 49.84)	52.03 (49.82 – 54.23)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	50.56 (48.26 – 52.85)	53.51 (51.20 – 55.80)	0.001

Variables		Before the pandemic — % (95%CI)	During the pandemic — % (95%CI)	p-value
Enough physical activity
	Total	28.70 (27.24 – 30.20)	15.74 (14.58 – 16.98)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	24.95 (23.35 – 6.62)	16.41 (14.99 – 17.93)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	32.51 (30.07 – 35.05)	15.06 (13.26 – 17.07)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	27.78 (25.90 – 29.74)	14.88 (13.39 – 16.50)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	30.61 (28.49 – 32.82)	17.55 (15.83 – 19.40)	< 0.001
Sedentary behavior (≥ 3 hours)
	Total	44.57 (42.92 – 46.23)	70.15 (68.56 – 71.70)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	43.46 (41.72 – 45.42)	70.79 (68.96 – 72.55)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	45.59 (42.85 – 48.35)	69.51 (66.87 – 72.03)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	43.99 (41.81 – 46.19)	68.08 (65.94 – 70.14)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	45.78 (43.51 – 48.08)	74.49 (72.41 – 76.46)	< 0.001

Variables		Before the pandemic — % (95%CI)	During the pandemic — % (95%CI)	p-value
Tobacco use
	Total	2.58 (2.17 – 3.10)	2.41 (2.02 – 2.87)	0.294
Sex	Female	2.16 (1.69 – 2.76)	2.05 (1.64 – 2.60)	0.590
Sex	Male	3.01 (2.35 – 3.83)	2.77 (2.14 – 3.57)	0.359
Age	12 to 15	2.11 (1.63 – 2.73)	2.05 (1.59 – 2.62)	0.799
Age	16 to 17	3.56 (2.85 – 4.44)	3.16 (2.49 – 4.00)	0.175
Consumption of alcohol
	Total	17.72 (16.64 – 18.85)	12.77 (11.85 – 13.76)	< 0.001
Sex	Female	20.38 (18.99 – 21.85)	14.15 (12.99 – 15.40)	< 0.001
Sex	Male	15.01 (13.43 – 16.75)	11.37 (9.98 – 12.92)	< 0.001
Age	12 to 15	11.56 (10.38 – 12.87)	8.55 (7.52 – 9.71)	< 0.001
Age	16 to 17	30.61 (28.61 – 32.68)	21.61 (19.90 – 23.43)	< 0.001

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[1] Corresponding author: Deborah Carvalho Malta. Avenida Professor Alfredo Balena, 190, Santa Efigênia, CEP: 30130-100, Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil. E-mail: dcmalta@uol.com.br