Sleep and diet patterns of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Introduction: College students experience high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during the academic year as they juggle the competing demands of young adulthood and their studies. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened this experience. Healthful diets and sleep patterns are associated with improved physical and mental well-being. Purpose: The goal of this study was to identify if there was a relationship between changes in sleep and diet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A group of college students was surveyed online using Qualtrics software during the first two months of lockdown restrictions at a large, midwestern university in the United States. Results: More participants reported no changes in diet and increased hours of sleep than reported declines or improvements in diet, or reductions or retained sleep patterns. Participants who maintained their diet were likely to maintain their current sleep pattern. Conclusion: College students demonstrated resilience in healthful behaviors during the first two months of COVID-19 lockdown.

Does Nutrition Education with Fruit and Vegetable Supplementation Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Improve Anthropometrics of Overweight or Obese People of Varying Socioeconomic Status?

Fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake is inadequate and obesity is more prevalent among adults of lower socioeconomic status (SES) in the United States. The effect of nutrition education and F/V supplementation on F/V intake and anthropometrics of overweight or obese adults of varying SES was determined. F/V intake was not different between the nutrition education and F/V supplementation groups. Individuals with a graduate degree had significant improvements in fruit intake. Few of the improvements in anthropometrics seen were significant. Future research should focus on specific barriers to F/V intake and include information on total energy intake and expenditure.

Nutrition education effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among overweight and obese adults.

Despite the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption on weight and decreased risk for chronic disease, Americans' intake of fruits and vegetables is well below the recommended daily servings. While previous studies have assessed fruit and vegetable consumption and the influence of educational interventions on fruit and vegetable intake, no studies to date have examined the effects of nutrition education combined with provision of fruits and vegetables on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption among overweight and obese adults. The objectives of this study were to evaluate fruit and vegetable consumption patterns, including intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, provide education about benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, expose participants to different varieties of fruits and vegetables, and improve fruit and vegetable consumption. Fifty-four adults (19 men/35 women; 44.7 ± 12.1 y) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups. The control group received no intervention, the education group attended weekly nutrition lessons focused on benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the fruit and vegetable group attended weekly nutrition lessons and received one serving of fruits and two servings of vegetables per day for 10 weeks. Intake of fruits and vegetables was assessed using semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires and three-day food records. Findings suggested that while the majority of participants failed to consume the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables per day, nutrition education was helpful in improving the consumption frequency of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables among overweight and obese adults.