(PO05-25-22) Associations Between Perceived Changes in Stress, Eating, and Weight During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Adults in Puerto Rico: Assessments of Puerto Rico-CEAL

The ePoster content is available to NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE attendees who are logged in.<br><br>If you are registered, log in and then come back here to use this button.

Presenting Author(s)

AL

Andrea Lopez Cepero, PhD
– Assistant Professor, Emory University, Decatur, Georgia, United States

Co-Author(s)

CP

Cynthia M. Pérez
– University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus
SS

Shakira Suglia
– Emory University
Stephanie Cameron, BS, BA
– Research Assistant and Rising Graduate Student, University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, Dorado, Puerto Rico
AF

Adriana Franquis
– University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus
WP

William Pagán
– University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
JT

Juan Tossas
– University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus
VC

Vivian Colón
– UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center

Disclosure(s):

Andrea Lopez Cepero, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Stephanie Cameron, BS, BA: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: To examine the associations between perceived changes in stress, eating, and weight during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Puerto Rico.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data from the Puerto Rico Community Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (CEAL) study. A total of 551 adults (18 years) completed an online survey from December 30, 2021 to January 28, 2022. Three individual items assessed perceived changes in stress, eating, and weight throughout the pandemic (from March 2020 to survey completion). Response options were ‘increased’, ‘decreased’, and ‘no change’. Participants reporting decreases in stress (n=9) were excluded from the analysis. Adjusted Poisson models with robust error variance estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), using those reporting no change in stress as the reference group. All models were adjusted for age, gender, number of children in the household, education, income, employment, marital status, COVID-19 diagnosis, and pre-pandemic obesity.

Results: Eligible respondents with complete data on study variables (n=495) were on average 38+14 years, the majority were women (73.9%), and had at least some college education (52.9%). The majority reported perceived increases in stress during the pandemic (74.7%). In adjusted regression models, a perceived increase in stress (vs. no change) was associated with perceived increases in eating (PR=1.88, 95% CI=1.38, 2.56) and weight (PR=1.68, 95% CI=1.11, 2.54) as well as decreases in eating (PR=1.87, 95% CI=1.06, 3.30) and weight (PR=1.51, 95% CI=1.21, 1.88).

Conclusions: A large proportion of adults in Puerto Rico reported an increase in stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were significantly associated with changes (both increases and decreases) in eating and weight. Interventions and clinical programs targeting stress management during public health emergencies are needed to maintain healthy weight and eating habits.

Funding Sources: Puerto Rico-CEAL was funded by NIH-NHLBI.