Diet and Weight-Related Risk Perceptions of COVID-19 in Relation to Diet and Weight Among UK Adults: A Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of the HEBECO Study

Abstract

Objectives: Risk perceptions (RPs) play an important role in health behaviours. However, no previous research examines the effect of diet and weight-related RPs of COVID-19 on weight and diet, including high fat sugar and/or salt (HFSS) food consumption and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. This study examined these effects cross-sectionally at baseline and longitudinally at 6-months while accounting for sociodemographic, anthropometric, health and COVID-related factors. Design: A secondary data analysis of the longitudinal survey of HEalth BEhaviours during the COVID-19 (HEBECO) pandemic was conducted (N=1910 UK adults). Methods: Participants self-reported data on sociodemographic, anthropometrics, diet, health and COVID-related factors. Pandemic-related data from baseline (April- June,2020) and the 6-month follow-up (November-December,2020) were analysed. Results: Multiple regressions revealed higher diet and weight-related RPs were associated with higher baseline HFSS consumption (β=.11,p<.001) and weight (β=.31, p<.001). Similarly, higher RPs were associated with higher HFSS consumption (β=.07, p=.005) and weight (β=.34, p<.001) at 6-months. Although RP did not predict change in HFSS consumption from baseline to 6-months, RP was associated with an increase in weight from baseline to 6-months. Multivariate logistic regressions revealed no significant association between RPs and meeting FV recommendations at baseline or 6-months. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of considering the role of diet and weight-related RPs in developing public health strategies to influence healthy eating and weight during and beyond the pandemic. Future research can consider examining these relationships in other countries and using more objective measures to increase reliability.