Purpose This study aimed to explore the early associations between the experienced psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis during lockdown, depressive symptomatology, anxiety/stress levels, and disordered eating behaviors in adults during a first COVID-19 lockdown period. Methods This was a community-based cross-sectional study assessing 254 Portuguese adults (82.7% women; 35.82 ± 11.82 years) 1 week after the end of the first mandatory COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal. An online survey was conducted to evaluate psychological distress, disordered eating, and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling were performed. Results Participants reported the presence of meal skipping (52.8%), grazing eating behavior (80.9%), overeating (81.0%), loss of control over eating (47.2%), and binge eating episodes (39.2%) during lockdown. Structural equation modeling analyses, controlling for age and sex, indicated that there was a significant indirect effect of the experienced psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors mediated through psychological distress. Conclusion The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis may lead to disordered eating, and this relation may occur through the elevation of psychological distress. These findings can be used to inform interventions, to enhance mental health and manage disordered eating during similar future situations. Level of evidence V: cross-sectional descriptive study

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RESUMO As medidas de cessação tabágica mostram resultados positivos na diminuição da morbidade e mortalidade associadas ao consumo do tabaco. Esses programas possuem maior eficácia quando se adequam às especificidades dos tabagistas. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar as diferenças de sexo em uma amostra de 100 fumantes portugueses, através da administração de um questionário sócio-demográfico e clínico. Observaram-se diferenças de sexo no número de cigarros consumidos por dia, no momento do dia e no contexto social de maior consumo, no residir com fumantes, na pressão social para deixar de fumar e no sono. As implicações clínicas dos resultados foram discutidas no sentido de otimizar a prestação dos serviços de saúde em contexto de cessação tabágica.

Objective: This study aims to explore associations between disordered eating behaviors in adults during the COVID-19 lockdown period, and the experienced psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptomatology, anxiety/stress levels.Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study assessing 254 Portuguese adults (82.7% women; 35.82 ±11.82 years) one week after the end of the mandatory COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal. An online survey was conducted to evaluate psychological distress, disordered eating, and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were performed.Results: Participants reported the presence of meal skipping (52.8%), grazing eating behavior (80.9%), overeating (81.0%), loss of control over eating (47.2%), and binge eating episodes (39.2%) during lockdown. Uncontrolled and emotional eating were significantly correlated with the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic, depression, anxiety, and stress levels. SEM analyses indicated that the relationship between experienced psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors was mediated through psychological distress experienced (CMIN/DF= 1.499, CFI = .99, RMSEA = .045).Conclusions: The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis may lead to disordered eating, and this relation may occur through the elevation of psychological distress. These findings inform about clinical targets for preventive interventions to promote disordered eating in a community sample during potential similar future situations.

Objective: This study aims to explore associations between disordered eating behaviors in adults during the COVID-19 lockdown period, and the experienced psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptomatology, anxiety/stress levels.Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study assessing 254 Portuguese adults (82.7% women; 35.82 ±11.82 years) one week after the end of the mandatory COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal. An online survey was conducted to evaluate psychological distress, disordered eating, and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were performed.Results: Participants reported the presence of meal skipping (52.8%), grazing eating behavior (80.9%), overeating (81.0%), loss of control over eating (47.2%), and binge eating episodes (39.2%) during lockdown. Uncontrolled and emotional eating were significantly correlated with the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic, depression, anxiety, and stress levels. SEM analyses indicated that the relationship between experienced psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors was mediated through psychological distress experienced (CMIN/DF= 1.499, CFI = .99, RMSEA = .045).Conclusions: The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis may lead to disordered eating, and this relation may occur through the elevation of psychological distress. These findings inform about clinical targets for preventive interventions to promote disordered eating in a community sample during potential similar future situations.