(P12-005-23) Moving and Work Adaptations Shifted Early COVID Eating Patterns in College Students

Objectives: COVID provided unexpected disruptions to numerous daily living activities. As a consequence of colleges going to online courses with additional mandated shutdowns to achieve social isolation, college students experienced moving and work changes, that perhaps resulted in eating habit adjustments. The purpose of this investigation was to delve into the potential impacts of such major life alterations.

Methods: Data collected from 1328 college students via online surveys in May/June 2020 provide comparisons of living arrangements and work changes before and during COVID and their impacts on meal rates and cooking habits. Chi square and z proportion tests analyzed Cross-Tabs data.

Results: Preliminary data (21.8±5.1yo) reported that before COVID 1% of students ate 1 meal per day (1MPD), 8% 2MPD; 30% 3MPD; 38% 4MPD; 15% 5MPD; 38% 6MPD. During COVID 26.7% decreased MPD, 43.5% consumed the same MPD, and 29.2% increased MPD (all z-scores p < .001). Specially, for COVID 3MPD, equal proportions decreased/maintained MPD (25-27%, p >.05) but 40% increased MPD (p < .05). For 4MPD equal proportions increased, decreased, or maintained MPD (p >.05). For 5MPD + 6MPD equal proportions decreased or maintained MPD (40%, p >.05) and15% increased MPD (p < .05). Moving (M) did not impact MPD (p >.05), but changing work situation (W) led to a greater proportional increase in MPD (χ² (2,1314) = 14.93, p< .001). COVID also influenced cooking habits. Fewer students regularly cooked for themselves (57.7%, ∆=-8.7%, z = 4.43, p< .001), more had someone else cook (20.9%, ∆=15.8%, z=-8.96, p< .001), and fewer ordered food/ate out (21.3%, ∆=-7.2%, z=4.84, p< .001). Results also show that students who ate out a few times a week (or more) prior to COVID were the most likely to decrease their amount of eating out (∆=65%). Moving also impacted cooking habits (χ² (1,1318) =115.3, p< .001).Those who did M (n=547, ∆=70.93%) vs. those who didn’t M (n=771, ∆=40.99%). Cooking habits (χ² (1,1318) = 117.44, p < .001) changed in those that M home (n = 489, ∆=72.8%) vs those that M elsewhere (n=829, ∆=41.98%).

Conclusions: College students’ eating habits were impacted widely during the pandemic by moving. Work shifts were more apt to control the number of meals consumed rather than cooking habits.

Funding Sources: No sources of funding are reported for this research.