Keenan, GS, Royle, WS, Marrow, L, Scholey, A, Benson, S and Owen, LJ (2024) The association between COVID-19 related income loss and diet quality: The mediating role of distress. Appetite, 200. p. 107570. ISSN 0195-6663

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Abstract

The COVID-19 lockdowns saw many individuals lose income, experience distress and increase intake of foods that would typically be considered less 'healthy' (more processed and less fresh produce). Establishing whether there are direct and indirect links between these variables would be of benefit in preparing for similar future events but also has implications for the current global financial climate, where many are experiencing relative decreases in income. Adults in two locations (UK and Australia) (N = 917) completed online questionnaires to explore the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on their change in income, emotional wellbeing (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness), resilience and diet quality. A structural equation model revealed that income loss was indirectly associated with diet quality via distress. As such, the greater the loss of income experienced, the more distress reported; distress was then directly associated with a less nutritious diet. This pattern of results existed when data from both countries were combined but also when they were modelled individually. Our findings indicate that where individuals experience a sudden reduction of income there are likely to be negative consequences for both mental and physical health. It is plausible that these findings would extend to other circumstances in which sudden loss of income may be experienced such as reductions in state social care, rising inflation and interest rates and sudden increases to the general cost of living.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Humans; Diet; Depression; Stress, Psychological; Anxiety; Mental Health; Adult; Aged; Middle Aged; Income; Australia; Female; Male; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; Diet, Healthy; Psychological Distress; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Cost-of-living; Diet quality; Distress; Food insecurity; Income loss; Humans; COVID-19; Female; Male; Adult; Income; Australia; Middle Aged; Diet; United Kingdom; Surveys and Questionnaires; Stress, Psychological; Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Depression; Young Adult; Anxiety; Mental Health; Diet, Healthy; Psychological Distress; Nutrition & Dietetics
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology T Technology > TX Home economics > TX341 Nutrition. Foods and food supply R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions:	Psychology (from Sep 2019)
Publisher:	Elsevier BV
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	16 Oct 2024 14:27
Last Modified:	16 Oct 2024 14:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1016/j.appet.2024.107570
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24525

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