COVID-19 Anxiety and Eating Behaviors Among Patients Attending the Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and food cravings among adults and to identify the factors influencing this relationship. Material and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study collected data from 265 individuals who agreed to participate between November 2021 and February 2022. Data collection tools included the Sociodemographic Data Form, the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS), and the Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQT-R). Analyses included means, standard deviations, percentages, independent t-tests for comparisons between groups, one-way ANOVA for comparisons among more than two groups, Pearson correlation analysis to determine relationships among scales, and linear regression analysis. Results: The mean COVID-19 Anxiety Scale score was 3.63±3.06, while the mean Food Craving Questionnaire score was 37.64±10.62. A positive, moderate, and significant correlation was found between COVID-19 anxiety and food craving levels (r=.368, p<.001). Additionally, COVID-19 anxiety accounted for 12.8% of the variance in food craving levels (R²=0.128, F=38.43, p<.001). Conclusion: The study revealed that certain sociodemographic characteristics, including age, marital status, and education level, significantly influenced COVID-19 anxiety and food cravings, and an increase in COVID-19 anxiety was associated with an increase in food cravings.

Keywords

• COVID-19 anxiety
• food cravings
• emergency department

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