Evaluating the sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle parameters, depression, quality of life, cognitive status, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence of older adults in pre- and post-Covid-19 periods: a comparative cross-sectional study

Abstract

Ojective: Covid-19 pandemic has exerted deleterious effects on several aspect of mental health worldwide. The detrimental medical complications, the increased prevalence of morbidity and the rapid international spread of Covid-19 have resulted in urgent public health concerns and political measures across the world. This comparative, cross-sectional study aims to assess the changes that were established in sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle parameters and several aspects of mental health of older adults due to Covid-19 pandemic by comparing the pre-Covid period with the post-Covid period. Methods: Qualified questionnaires were applied for assessing the prevalence of depression, quality of life, cognitive status, and Mediterranean Diet (MD) adherence, as well as sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle parameters in 3388 older adults in the pre- and post-Covid period. Results: Covid-19 pandemic independently affected type of residence, smoking habits, BMI and WHR status, risk of depression, quality of life, cognitive status, physical activity levels, and MD adherence. Conclusions: Covid −19 pandemic has exerted persistent detrimental effects on daily quality of life and mental health of older adults in the post-Covid period. Future strategies and public policies should develop healthcare programs to provide psychological and nutritional counseling and support to older adults to minimize the detrimental effects of Covid pandemic.

Keywords:

• Covid pandemic
• mental health
• quality of life
• cognitive status
• physical activity
• Mediterranean diet

Institutional review board statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Decla-ration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethical Organization of the University of Aegean (ethics approval code: no 11/17.1.2018, date of approval: 17.1.2018).

Informed consent statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Written informed consent has been obtained from the participants to publish this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data of the study is available upon request from corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.