The impact of eating behaviors during COVID-19 in health-care workers: A conditional process analysis of eating, affective disorders, and PTSD

Zhen Yao; Xiaoxia Xie; Ruoxue Bai; Lan Li; Xu Zhang; Shaowei Li; Yanna Ma; Zhenliang Hui; Jun Chen

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10892

The impact of eating behaviors during COVID-19 in health-care workers: A conditional process analysis of eating, affective disorders, and PTSD

Heliyon. 2022 Oct;8(10):e10892. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10892. Epub 2022 Oct 4.

Authors

Zhen Yao¹, Xiaoxia Xie¹, Ruoxue Bai¹, Lan Li¹, Xu Zhang¹, Shaowei Li², Yanna Ma², Zhenliang Hui², Jun Chen²

Affiliations

¹ Department of First Clinical Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, 712000, Xian yang, China.
² Department of Encephalopathy, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 710000, Xi'an, China.

Abstract

Objective: The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increased among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the outbreak of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between eating behavior and PTSD, considering the mediation effect of anxiety, depression and sleep.

Methods: A total of 101 HCWs completed a survey. The Food-Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) were used to evaluate the diet. A special survey was conducted on the eating time of each shift mode. The PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Morning-Evening Questionnaire (MEQ) were utilized to assess clinical symptoms.

Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between the night shift eat midpoint (NEMP) and PTSD symptoms, anxiety and depression as significant mediators. The last meal jet lag between night shift and day shift (NDLM) was related to PTSD symptoms significantly, and sleep and anxiety were significant mediators. The relationship between animal-based protein pattern and PTSD symptoms was statistically significant, and anxiety was the significant mediator.

Conclusions: The earlier the HCWs eat in the night shift, the lighter the symptoms of PTSD. This is mediated by improving anxiety, depression and sleep disorder. Furthermore, the consumption of animal protein could reduce symptoms of PTSD by improving anxiety.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Eating behavior; Mediation analysis; PTSD; Sleep disorder.