Research Article
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Intake, Dietary Behavior, Mental Health, and Academic Performance of a Ghanaian University Students
Table 1
Sociodemographic characteristics, perceived stress, mental health, food intake, and dietary behaviors of Ghanaian university students.
| Variable | n (%) |
| Age | <25 | 74 (78.7) | ≥25 | 20 (21.3) |
| Sex | Male | 38 (49.4) | Female | 39 (50.6) |
| BMI | Underweight | 13 (17.1) | Normal | 43 (56.6) | Overweight | 11 (14.5) | Obese | 9 (11.8) |
| Year of study | First | 22 (28.5) | second | 11 (14.3) | Third | 18 (23.4) | Fourth | 16 (20.8) | Fifth–seventh | 10 (13.0) |
| Stress level | Low | 1 (1.3) | Moderate | 47 (61.0) | High | 29 (37.7) |
| Stress attributed to COVID-19 | Yes | 50 (64.9) | No | 27 (35.1) |
| Self-reported stress classification during pandemic | Low | 15 (19.5) | High | 35 (45.5) | No change | 27 (35.0) |
| Eating behaviors | Low emotional eating | 20 (26.0) | High emotional eating | 57 (74.0) | Low restricted eating | 30 (39.0) | High restricted eating | 47 (61.0) | Low uncontrolled eating | 27 (35.1) | High uncontrolled eating | 50 (64.9) |
| GAD | Mild | 28 (36.4) | Moderate | 25 (32.5) | Severe | 24 (31.1) |
| COVID-19 influence on academic performance | Worse | 19 (24.7) | Better | 13 (16.9) | Indifferent | 34 (44.2) | No change | 11 (14.3) |
| Diet alterations during COVID-19 | Healthier | 26 (33.8) | Less healthier | 11 (14.3) | No change | 40 (52.0) |
| Diet alteration due to COVID-19 | Altered diet | 37 (48.0) | No change | 40 (52.0) |
| GAD attributed to COVID-19 | Yes | 44 (57.0) | No | 33 (43.0) |
| COVID-19 influenced GAD classification | Less anxiety | 12 (16.0) | More anxiety | 32 (42.0) | No change | 33 (43.0) |
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