COVID-19 disease and nutritional choices: How will the pandemic reconfigure our food psychology and habits? A case study of the Italian population

Background and aims: In Italy, the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) required lifestyle changes that have affected food choices and people's health condition. We explore people's perception of the role of food consumption as a preventive measure and how it reconfigures consumption habits. Method and results: We conducted an online survey of a representative sample of 1004 Italian citizens. Around 40% of the population perceive that strengthening the immune defences through nutrition is not important to reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. People with lower levels of perceived importance are slightly younger and have a less healthy lifestyle. They are less worried about the emergency. During the last months, they have bought less food supplements and also intend to decrease their purchase in the next 6 months. Conclusion: In COVID-19 pandemic, scholars underline the importance of having a strong immune system. However, the Italians who attribute less importance to food that helps the immune system seem to differ negatively in their psychological attitude towards the emergency and food consumption. Today, Italians are asked to engage in preventive food practices to protect against possible chronic diseases; exploring their perceptions is important to orient them towards this change. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University.

Automated summary

The study found that about 40% of Italians do not believe that strengthening the immune system through nutrition is important in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection. These individuals tend to be younger, have less healthy lifestyles, and are less concerned about the emergency situation. They have also purchased fewer food supplements during the pandemic and intend to further decrease their purchases in the next 6 months.