Research Article
COVID-19 Anxiety and Eating Behaviors Among Patients Attending the Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and food cravings among adults and to identify the factors influencing this relationship.
Material and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study collected data from 265 individuals who agreed to participate between November 2021 and February 2022. Data collection tools included the Sociodemographic Data Form, the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS), and the Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQT-R). Analyses included means, standard deviations, percentages, independent t-tests for comparisons between groups, one-way ANOVA for comparisons among more than two groups, Pearson correlation analysis to determine relationships among scales, and linear regression analysis.
Results: The mean COVID-19 Anxiety Scale score was 3.63±3.06, while the mean Food Craving Questionnaire score was 37.64±10.62. A positive, moderate, and significant correlation was found between COVID-19 anxiety and food craving levels (r=.368, p<.001). Additionally, COVID-19 anxiety accounted for 12.8% of the variance in food craving levels (R²=0.128, F=38.43, p<.001).
Conclusion: The study revealed that certain sociodemographic characteristics, including age, marital status, and education level, significantly influenced COVID-19 anxiety and food cravings, and an increase in COVID-19 anxiety was associated with an increase in food cravings.
Ethical Statement
Ege University Medical Research Ethics Committee (29.07.2021- 21-7.1T/13).
References
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- Türk A, Şahan H, Engin E. The relationship between fear of COVID-19 and satisfaction with life in patients admitted to the emergency department. EHD. 2023;16:447-59.
- Joannès C, Redmond NM, Kelly-Irving M, et al. The level of education is associated with an anxiety-depressive state among men and women–findings from France during the first quarter of the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health. 2023;23:1405.
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- Huang Y, Su X, Si M, et al. The impacts of coping style and perceived social support on the mental health of undergraduate students during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in China: A multicenter survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21:530.
- Yıldız K, Dirik D. The role of perceived self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived social support and ways of coping. SPORMETRE. 2019;17:132-44.
- Suhag K, Rauniyar S. Social media effects regarding eating disorders and body image in young adolescents. Cureus. 2024;16:e58674.
- Filippone L, Shankland R, Hallez Q. The relationships between social media exposure, food craving, cognitive impulsivity, and cognitive restraint. J Eat Disord. 2022;10:184.
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Year 2025,
Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 430 - 436, 09.05.2025
Abstract
References
- Manchia M, Gathier AW, Yapici-Eser H, et al. The impact of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic on stress resilience and mental health: a critical review across waves. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2022;55:22-83.
- Jordan RE, Adab P, Cheng KK. COVID-19: risk factors for severe disease and death. BMJ. 2020;368:m1198.
- Craske MG, Rauch SL, Ursano R, et al. What is an anxiety disorder? Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2011;9:369-88.
- Pfefferbaum B, North CS. Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:510-2.
- Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, et al. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence. Lancet. 2020;395:912-20.
- Koçak O, Koçak ÖE, Younis MZ. The psychological consequences of COVID-19 fear and the moderator effects of individuals' underlying illness and witnessing infected friends and family. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:1836.
- Kaplan V, Kürümlüoğlugil R, Bütün B. The effect of the quarantine process due to the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' future expectations and anxiety levels. Journal of Child and Development. 2021;4:12-23.
- Racine N, McArthur BA, Cooke JE, et al. Global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19: a meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175:1142-50.
- Qiu J, Shen B, Zhao M, et al. A nationwide survey of psychological distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: implications and policy recommendations. Gen Psychiatr. 2020;33:e100213. Erratum in: Gen Psychiatr. 2020;33:e100213corr1.
- Gosselin P, Castonguay C, Goyette M, et al. Anxiety among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Anxiety Disord. 2022;92:102633.
- Nutley SK, Falise AM, Henderson R, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behavior: qualitative analysis of social media posts. JMIR Ment Health. 2021;8:e26011.
- van der Kooij MA. The impact of chronic stress on energy metabolism. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2020;107:103525.
- Block JP, He Y, Zaslavsky AM, et al. Psychosocial stress and change in weight among US adults. Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170:181-92.
- Chankasingh K, Booth A, Albert A, et al. Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods approach to understand how social factors influence coping ability. Heliyon. 2022;8:e10904.
- Tınmazoğlu E, Doksat NG. Relationship between emotional eating and big five personality characteristics and mood disorder symptoms. Manas Journal of Social Studies. 2020;9:34-46.
- Robert M, Shankland R, Bellicha A, et al. Associations between resilience and food intake are mediated by emotional eating in the NutriNet-Santé Study. J Nutr. 2022;152:1907-15.
- Reents J, Seidel AK, Wiesner CD, Pedersen A. The effect of hunger and satiety on mood-related food craving. Front Psychol. 2020;11:568908.
- Garipoğlu G, Bozar N. Changes in dietary habits of individuals in social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson Journal. 2020;6:100-13.
- Cipolla C, Curatola A, Ferretti S, et al. Eating habits and lifestyle in children with obesity during the COVID-19 lockdown: a survey in an Italian center. Acta Biomed. 2021;92:e2021196.
- O'Connor S, Bélanger-Gravel A,; iCARE study team. Social determinants of long-term reported changes in physical activity and healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Multiple cross-sectional surveys analysis from the iCARE study. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2023;49:179-89.
- Özmen S, Ocakdan UB. Examination of the effect of death anxiety level of nurses on psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Süleyman Demirel University Visionary Journal. 2022;13:1224-36.
- İri NİÖ, Korkmaz F. The Effect of individuals' coronavirus anxiety levels on their psychological resilience. GUJHS. 2021;10:769-71.
- Yeşilyaprak T, Özsoy H, Korkmaz FD. Determining the relationship between anxiety, psychological resilience and perceived social support levels of surgical nurses in the COVID-19 period. Hemşirelik Bilimi Dergisi. 2023;6:18-25.
- Yılmaz Z, İstemihan F, Arayıcı S, et al. The investigation of anxiety and hopelessness among individuals throughout COVID-19 outbreak. Kriz Dergisi. 2020;28:135-50.
- Şahin B, Önal BS, Hoşoğlu E. Anxiety levels and sleep disturbance in children of healthcare workers with COVID-19. Turk J Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2021;28:41-8.
- Erdoğdu Y, Koçoğlu F, Sevim C. An investigation of the psychosocial and demographic determinants of anxiety and hopelessness during COVID-19 pandemic. Turkish J Clin Psy. 2020;23:24-37.
- Bemanian M, Mæland S, Blomhoff R, et al. Emotional eating in relation to worries and psychological distress amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based survey on adults in Norway. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:130.
- Güner Ö, Aydın A. Determining the relationship between anxiety levels, stress coping styles, and emotional eating of women in the COVID-19 pandemic. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2022;41:241-7.
- Biçer İ, Çakmak C, Demir H, Kurt ME. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: Turkish validity and reliability study. Anatol Clin. 2020;25:216-25.
- Traş Z, Gökçen G. Adaptation of the short version of the Food Cravings Questionnaire—trait to Turkish culture: a study of validity and reliability. Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education Journal. 2021;3:200-15.
- Türk A, Şahan H, Engin E. The relationship between fear of COVID-19 and satisfaction with life in patients admitted to the emergency department. EHD. 2023;16:447-59.
- Joannès C, Redmond NM, Kelly-Irving M, et al. The level of education is associated with an anxiety-depressive state among men and women–findings from France during the first quarter of the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health. 2023;23:1405.
- Ostberg V, Åhlén J, Brolin Låftman S. Educational attainment and symptoms of anxiety and depression in young adulthood. Eur J Public Health. 2023;33:ckad160-1578.
- Huang Y, Su X, Si M, et al. The impacts of coping style and perceived social support on the mental health of undergraduate students during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in China: A multicenter survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21:530.
- Yıldız K, Dirik D. The role of perceived self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived social support and ways of coping. SPORMETRE. 2019;17:132-44.
- Suhag K, Rauniyar S. Social media effects regarding eating disorders and body image in young adolescents. Cureus. 2024;16:e58674.
- Filippone L, Shankland R, Hallez Q. The relationships between social media exposure, food craving, cognitive impulsivity, and cognitive restraint. J Eat Disord. 2022;10:184.
- Chang TH, Chen YC, Chen WY, et al. Weight gain associated with COVID-19 lockdown in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2021;13:3668.
- Anderson LN, Yoshida‐Montezuma Y, Dewart N, et al. Obesity and weight change during the COVID‐19 pandemic in children and adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Obes Rev. 2023;24:e13550.
There are 39 citations in total.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Mental Health Nursing |
| Journal Section | Original Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | May 9, 2025 |
| Submission Date | December 3, 2024 |
| Acceptance Date | December 30, 2024 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 7 Issue: 2 |
Chief Editors
Assoc. Prof. Zülal Öner
İzmir Bakırçay University, Department of Anatomy, İzmir, Türkiye
Assoc. Prof. Deniz Şenol
Düzce University, Department of Anatomy, Düzce, Türkiye
Editors
Assoc. Prof. Serkan Öner
İzmir Bakırçay University, Department of Radiology, İzmir, Türkiye
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