The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students’ physical activity and nutrition
Volume 15, Issue 1 (2025)
Volume 15, Issue 1 (2025)
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students’ physical activity and nutrition
Apstrakt:
Nutrition plays a crucial role in sports. Diet has an important role in human health, especially when the nutritional
needs have to be adjusted for different sports. The aim of this study was to find how did COVID-19 impact nutrition
and physical activity among students of AAB college. A survey was conducted among students of AAB College from 12-
30 April 2023. The survey link was spread to students using Email. Questionnaire included questions regarding: height,
weight, physical activity, nutrition, food supplements, during COVID-19 and after COVID-19. A total of 296 students completed
the questionnaire, consisting of 211 females and 85 males. Economics had the highest number of students (22.3%)
and Mass Communication had the lowest (2.4%); the statistical test (Chi-square) shows a significant difference between
the fields. Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicates a significant difference, there is a notable difference in BMI between during
COVID-19 and after COVID-19. Consumption of meat and cereals changed significantly during and after COVID-19 (χ²
= 9.33, p = 0.003), χ²= 20.06, p = 0.000. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and foods high in fat, sugar,
and salt did not change significantly. Physical activity levels during and after COVID-19 also showed a significant change
(χ² = 4.96, p = 0.033), indicating that some students started exercising again. Consumption of meat and cereals changed
significantly during and after COVID-19 and the importance of wellbeing (nutrition, physical activity) can be used as an
incentive to maintain an active lifestyle and healthy food consumption.
Ključne riječi:
Sports, Health, Nutritional needs, Differences.
Puni tekst:
Reference:
Akter, T., Zeba, Z., Hosen, I., Al-Mamun, F., & Mamun, M. A. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BMI: Its changes in relation to
socio-demographic and physical activity patterns based on a short period. PLoS ONE, 17(3), e0266024.
Altun, S., Aksu, A., İmamoğlu, O., Erdoğdu, M., & Karacabey, K. (2021). Investigation of the nutritional approaches of student athletes during
the COVID-19 epidemic. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences, 15(6).
Antekolović, J., & Kovačić, G. (2020). Physical activity of students during the pandemic of the disease COVID-19. Sportske nauke i zdravlje,
10(2).
Antwi, J., Appiah, B., Oluwakuse, B., & Abu, B. A. (2021). The nutrition-COVID-19 interplay: A review. Current Nutrition Reports, 10,
364–374.
De Faria Coelho-Ravagnani, C., Campos Corgosinho, F., Ziegler Sanches, F. L. F., Marques Maia Prado, C., Laviano, A., & Mota, J. F. (2020).
Dietary recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic: An extract. Kompass Nutrition & Dietetics, 1(1), 3–7.
Detopoulou, P., Tsouma, C., & Papamikos, V. (2022). COVID-19 and nutrition: Summary of official recommendations. Topics in Clinical
Nutrition, 37(3), 187.
Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world. (2018). World Health Organization.
Jaeger, S. R., Vidal, L., Ares, G., Chheang, S. L., & Spinelli, S. (2021). Healthier eating: COVID-19 disruption as a catalyst for positive change.
Food Quality and Preference, 92, 104220.
Jalal, S. M., Beth, M. R. M., Al-Hassan, H. J. M., & Alshealah, N. M. J. (2021). Body mass index, practice of physical activity and lifestyle of
students during COVID-19 lockdown. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 1901–1910.
Khoramipour, K., Basereh, A., Hekmatikar, A. A., Castell, L., Ruhee, R. T., & Suzuki, K. (2021). Physical activity and nutrition guidelines to
help with the fight against COVID-19. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(1), 101–107.
Lippi, G., Henry, B. M., & Sanchis-Gomar, F. (2020). Physical inactivity and cardiovascular disease at the time of coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19). European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 27(9), 906–908.
Mentella, M. C., Scaldaferri, F., Gasbarrini, A., & Miggiano, G. a. D. (2021). The role of nutrition in the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients,
13(4), 1093.
Milić, M. K. (2020). E-sport tokom pandemije COVID-19 i njegov negativan uticaj na zdravlje dece. Sportske nauke i zdravlje, 10(2).
Myrtaj, N., Pireva, F., & Mikić, B. (2023). The relationship between students’ nutritional status and their physical activity. Sportske nauke i
zdravlje, 13(2).
Naja, F., & Hamadeh, R. (2020). Nutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-level framework for action. European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, 74(8), 1117–1121.
Özen, G., Eskici, G., Yurdakul, H. Ö., & Koç, H. (2021). Assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emotional and nutritional status
of university athletes. Physical Education of Students, 25(1), 43–50.
Parekh, N., & Deierlein, A. L. (2020). Health behaviours during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Implications for obesity. Public
Health Nutrition, 23(17), 3121–3125.
Pelemiš, V., Prskalo, I., & Zoretić., D. (2023). Physical Performance and Morphological
Characteristics of Young Basketball Players Before and After Covid 19. Children, 10(3), 493. doi.org/10.3390/children10030493.
Rafique, N. (2022). Body mass index, eating habits, and various lifestyle changes in young adults during the two years of the coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Journal of Family and Community Medicine, 29(3), 189–195.
Rexhepi, F., Pireva, F., Vehapi, S., & Gashi, B. (2020). Alternative opportunities for conducting physical, sports, and recreational activities in
the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thesis, 9(2).
Šebić, L., Suhonić, A., Kovačević, E., Čović, N., & Bajramović, I. (2023). Influence of the level of physical activity on symptoms and duration
of recovery from COVID-19. Sportske nauke i zdravlje, 13(1).
Safaei, M., Sundararajan, E. A., Driss, M., Boulila, W., & Shapi’i, A. (2021). A systematic literature review on obesity: Understanding the
causes & consequences of obesity and reviewing various machine learning approaches used to predict obesity. Computers in Biology
and Medicine, 136, 104754.
Zahri, M. Z., Azahari, N. B., & Ibrahim, M. (2022). Knowledge, attitude and practices related to dietary supplements and micronutrients intake
among IIUM Kuantan students during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 6(3), 2674–2683.