Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security and Diet-Related Lifestyle Behaviors: An Analytical Study of Google Trends-Based Query Volumes

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 disease (COVID)-19 is having profound effects on the global economy and food trade. Limited data are available on how this pandemic is affecting our dietary and lifestyle-related behaviors at the global level. Google Trends was used to obtain worldwide relative search volumes (RSVs) covering a timeframe from before the COVID-19 pandemic 1 June 2019 to 27 April 2020. Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficients were used to measure relationships between daily confirmed cases and aforementioned RSVs between 31 December 2019 and 15 April 2020. RSV curves showed increased interest in multiple keywords related to dietary and lifestyle behaviors during the COVID-19 lockdown period in March and April 2020. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that the strongest variables in each keyword category were (1) food security (food shortage: r = 0.749, food bank: r = 0.660, and free food: r = 0.555; all p < 0.001), (2) dietary behaviors (delivery: r = 0.780, restaurant: r = −0.731, take-away: r = 0.731, and food-delivery: r = 0.693; all p < 0.001), (3) outdoor-related behaviors (resort: r = −0.922, hotel: r = −0.913, cinema: r = −0.844, park: r = −0.827, fitness: r = −0.817, gym: r = −0.811; plant: r = 0.749, sunbathing: r = 0.668, and online: r = 0.670; all p < 0.001), and (4) immune-related nutrients/herbs/foods (vitamin C: r = 0.802, vitamin A: r = 0.780, zinc: r = 0.781, immune: r = 0.739, vitamin E: r = 0.707, garlic: r = 0.667, omega-3 fatty acid: r = −0.633, vitamin D: r = 0.549, and turmeric: r = 0.545; all p < 0.001). Restricted movement has affected peoples’ dietary and lifestyle behaviors as people tend to search for immune-boosting nutrients/herbs and have replaced outdoor activities with sedentary indoor behaviors.

Dietary Supplements during COVID-19 Outbreak. Results of Google Trends Analysis Supported by PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies

“…We have observed that the worldwide interest in immune-related nutrients, bioactive compounds, and foods such as vitamins C and D, zinc, selenium, garlic, ginger, turmeric, honey, echinacea, elderberry, Nigella sativa , Glycyrrhiza glabra reached their peaks during the first or second wave of COVID-19, whereas interests in other compounds were stable over the time. Those results are partially consistent with a previous study by Mayasari et al [ 17 ], in which increasing interest in vitamin C, zinc, garlic, ginger, onion, but not vitamins D or E, herbs, and turmeric were reported. Differences in those observations may be a result of different time-frames chosen for GT analysis (June 2019–April 2020 [ 17 ] versus January 2020–October 2020 in our study).…”

“…Those results are partially consistent with a previous study by Mayasari et al [ 17 ], in which increasing interest in vitamin C, zinc, garlic, ginger, onion, but not vitamins D or E, herbs, and turmeric were reported. Differences in those observations may be a result of different time-frames chosen for GT analysis (June 2019–April 2020 [ 17 ] versus January 2020–October 2020 in our study). For vitamin D, we reported the peak in an autumn season, which may be related to seasonal use of this vitamin according to guidelines and previously reported seasonal variances in its RSV [ 16 , 28 ], nevertheless, all top five related queries in our study were searched in the context of COVID-19.…”

“…Shortly, in the present study, we searched topics related to coronavirus, immune system, dietary supplements, nutrients, bioactive compounds, and foods related to dietary supplements and immune system. We chose those topics based on literature searches [ 11 , 14 , 16 , 17 , 22 , 23 ] and results obtained within the PLifeCOVID-19 Online Study which we conducted in April–May 2020 [ 24 , 25 ]. We searched those topics separately (non-adjusted data), as well as each topic in comparison to the topic “lutein” (adjusted data) which allowed to compare the popularity of all searched topics.…”

“…Analyses of searches related to COVID-19 and dietary supplements can reveal which dietary compounds are of the greatest interest and how that interest fluctuates over time. So far, only a few studies have looked at Google queries about dietary supplements, including that during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic [ 16 , 17 ]. Therefore, in this paper, we investigated dietary supplements phenomenon in 2020 through (1) exploration of Google searches worldwide and in Poland, and (2) analyses of results of PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies conducted during the first and second wave of the pandemic.…”

Investigating the Potential for Ultraviolet Light to Modulate Morbidity and Mortality From COVID-19: A Narrative Review and Update

“…Anecdotal evidence from media reports suggests that Indian citizens were recommended to seek sun exposure during social isolation in April, 2020 ( 70 ). Related to this may be significant correlations observed between Google Trends relative search volumes using the words “sunbathing” or “vitamin D” with confirmed COVID-19 cases during the March-April lockdown period (r≤0.668, p < 0.001) ( 71 ). The combined effects of reduced air pollution and any recommendations to increase personal sun exposure on COVID-19 events are yet to be determined.…”