AUTHOR=Abril-Ulloa Victoria , Santos Sueny Paloma Lima-dos , Morejón-Terán Yadira Alejandra , Carpio-Arias Tannia Valeria , Espinoza-Fajardo Ana Cristina , Vinueza-Veloz María Fernanda 

TITLE=Stress and Diet Quality Among Ecuadorian Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Cross-Sectional Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.924076

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.924076

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Objective: We investigate the association between Stress and Diet quality in Ecuadorian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Design: A cross-sectional study.
Setting: Data was collected using a self-administered online survey, including for Stress variable was used the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and Diet quality was evaluated using the Global Diet Index (GDI) and socioeconomic variables. A linear regression model with restrictive cubic splines was used to investigate the association between stress and diet quality. 
Participants: Participants were recruited by convenience sampling.—a total of 2602 individuals. Most participants were female (68.57%), with a median age of 25 (IQR: 25, 37), and had university education (78.52%).
Results: Stress was reported by 26.06% of the sample. The majority of individuals (75.79%) reported having a diet that needed changes or an unhealthy diet. Independently on biological sex, age, level of education, the ratio of people/room, economic allowance, and expenses for food, stress was statistically significantly associated with diet quality (p = 0.035). The association between stress and diet quality was inverse and nonlinear; higher stress levels were associated with poorer diet quality. The consumption of palatable foods associated with stress was not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Stress is associated with poorer diet quality. Public health measures to improve the mental health and lifestyle of the population are needed during the lockdown of the pandemic.