The COVID-19 Pandemic and changes in adult Brazilian lifestyles: a cross-sectional study, 2020.

Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Szwarcwald, Célia Landmann; Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo; Gomes, Crizian Saar; Machado, Ísis Eloah; Souza Júnior, Paulo Roberto Borges de; Romero, Dalia Elena; Lima, Margareth Guimaraes; Damacena, Giseli Nogueira; Pina, Maria de Fátima; Freitas, Maria Imaculada de Fátima; Werneck, André Oliveira; Silva, Danilo Rodrigues Pereira da; Azevedo, Luiz Otávio; Gracie, Renata

OBJECTIVE To describe lifestyle changes with regard to consumption of tobacco and alcohol, food intake and physical activity, in the period of social restriction resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil with data from the ConVid online health behavior survey. The data were collected via an online questionnaire answered by the survey participants. Post-stratification procedures were used to calculate prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS 45,161 individuals aged 18 years or more participated. During the period of social restriction participants reported a decrease in practicing physical activity and an increase in time spent using computers or tablets or watching TV, intake of ultra-processed foods, number of cigarettes smoked and alcoholic beverage consumption. Differences were observed according to sex and age group. CONCLUSION The results indicate a worsening of lifestyles and an increase in health risk behaviors.