Screen time-based sedentary behaviour, eating regulation and weight status of university students during the COVID-19 lockdown

• Published in: Nutrition and food science 2022-02, Vol.52 (2), p.281-291
• Main Authors: Tan, Seok Tyug, Tan, Seok Shin, Tan, Chin Xuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Body height; Body mass index; Body weight; Body weight gain; Computer & video games; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Eating; Eating behavior; Enforcement; Food; Independent study; Internet; Pandemics; Public speaking; Questionnaires; Regulation; Screen time; Sedentary behavior; Shelter in place; Skills; Social networks; Sociodemographics; Students; University students
• ISSN: 0034-6659; 1758-6917
• DOI: 10.1108/NFS-05-2021-0156

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationships among screen time-based sedentary behaviour, eating self-regulatory skills and weight status among private university students during the Movement Control Order (MCO). Design/methodology/approach A total of 186 private university students was enrolled in this cross-sectional study using a combination of snowball and purposive sampling approaches. Anthropometric measurements, including body height, body weight before and during the MCO enforcement were self-reported by the respondents. Screen-time based sedentary behaviour sedentary behaviour was evaluated using HELENA sedentary behaviour questionnaire, whereas the Self-Regulation of Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (SREBQ) was used to determine the eating self-regulatory skills in MCO. Findings Respondents spent most of the time on the internet for non-study purposes (148 ± 77.7 min). It is also noted that 64.5% of the respondents had medium eating self-regulatory skill during the MCO, with an average score of 3.0 ± 0.5. Findings from path analysis confirmed that poor eating self-regulation significantly contributed to the weight gain during home confinement (ß = −0.24, p = 0.01). In conclusion, eating self-regulation, but not total screen time, emerged as the determinant for weight gain during the COVID-19 lockdown. Originality/value According to the authors’ knowledge, this study was among the few that investigated sedentary behaviour, eating self-regulatory skills and weight status of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.