Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Quality Among the Romanian Population in the Post-Pandemic Period

Magdalena Mititelu
ORCID logo ,
Violeta Popovici
,
Sorinel Marius Neacșu
* ,
Adina Magdalena Musuc
* ORCID logo ,
Stefan Sebastian Busnatu
ORCID logo ,
Eliza Oprea
ORCID logo ,
Steluța Boroghină
,
Andreea Mihai
,
Costin Teodor Streba
,
Dumitru Lupuliasa
,
Emma Gheorghe
,
Nadin Kebbewar
,
Carmen Elena Lupu
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 5 April 2024 / Approved: 8 April 2024 / Online: 8 April 2024 (07:07:21 CEST)

How to cite: Mititelu, M.; Popovici, V.; Neacșu, S.M.; Musuc, A.M.; Busnatu, S.S.; Oprea, E.; Boroghină, S.; Mihai, A.; Streba, C.T.; Lupuliasa, D.; Gheorghe, E.; Kebbewar, N.; Lupu, C.E. Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Quality Among the Romanian Population in the Post-Pandemic Period. Preprints 2024, 2024040498. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.0498.v1 Mititelu, M.; Popovici, V.; Neacșu, S.M.; Musuc, A.M.; Busnatu, S.S.; Oprea, E.; Boroghină, S.; Mihai, A.; Streba, C.T.; Lupuliasa, D.; Gheorghe, E.; Kebbewar, N.; Lupu, C.E. Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Quality Among the Romanian Population in the Post-Pandemic Period. Preprints 2024, 2024040498. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.0498.v1

Abstract

Background: The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus demonstrated the importance of prevention through a healthy diet and lifestyle, the most vulnerable people being those with severe chronic conditions, those who are overweight, and those with an unbalanced immune system. Methods: The evaluation of the eating habits and lifestyle of the Romanian population in the post-pandemic period was carried out based on a cross-sectional observational study with the help of a questionnaire. Results: 4704 valid answers were registered (3136 female and 1568 male respondents). Among the respondents, most of them belong to the young population, 2892 between the ages of 18 and 40, i.e., 61.5%. Most male respondents are overweight (1400) and obese (780). Most respondents indicated a tendency to consume 1-2 meals per day irregularly (p=0.6167). Only 974 respondents adopted a healthy diet, and 578 a healthy lifestyle. Conclusion: The present study reports low adherence to a healthy diet (20.7%) and healthy lifestyle (12.28%), especially among the young population (< 30 years). In the current context, it reports a reduced tendency to consume vegetables and fruits among the population, below the daily average recommended by the nutrition guidelines, a tendency towards sedentary behavior, and even deficient hydration of some of the respondents; these negative aspects can create a long term a series of nutritional and psycho-emotional imbalances. Our results evidence that complex surveys among the population are regularly required to investigate nutritional or lifestyle deficiencies; moreover, it could be helpful in further educational measures in nutrition, food, and environmental safety.

Keywords

healthy diet; balanced lifestyle; metabolic disorders; healthy habits; public health; nutritional education

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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