This being the first article on Food and Nutrition on this brand new website, and complementing the inaugural article on “Physical exercise in a pandemic”, it makes perfect sense to talk about the current situation and the impact that this pandemic can have on eating habits and population health.

"Stay at home". This was the request that most people have respected since the state of emergency was enacted in Portugal. If, on the one hand, the fact that we are isolated at home may have been essential to control and mitigate the effects of this pandemic, on the other, this civic duty has changed the routine of many and affected daily work habits, food, hydration, physical activity, sleep , among others.

Completing the quarantine can, in many cases, lead to decreased energy expenditure (calories) throughout the day, since the levels of physical activity are lower compared to the pre-quarantine routine. If this scenario continues for a considerable period, the body composition of those who are “forced” to stay at home can be affected, with increases in body weight and fat mass.

Being at home many days in a row, after a certain time, starts to become tedious and stressful, which can result in “attacks” on the fridge and the cookie cabinet in order to find something comforting. The consumption of sugary foods has a positive role in mood and in reducing stress, however, it is a totally discouraged practice, as the consequences of its frequent consumption are serious and harmful to the health of any individual and a risk factor for the most severe complications of CoVID-19.

Fortunately, there are some strategies we can follow to make this quarantine healthier and more nutritionally interesting. I will now list some “tricks” that can be taken into account:

→ Leave foods with less nutritional interest on the supermarket shelf, such as: ice cream, cookies, cakes, french fries, soft drinks, fast food, snacks, chocolates, frozen pizzas, among others. If you do not have these foods at home, there will be no way to consume them. The important thing is to have a favorable “nutritional environment” in your home;

→ When hunger strikes, prefer these options: sugar-free gelatin, lean solid yogurts, fruit whose chewing is more difficult (apple or pear, for example), lupins, tea, coffee or water;

→ Increase the amount of protein ingested at each meal. By preferring more protein foods throughout the day, the feeling of satiety will be greater and the maintenance of muscle mass will also benefit.

→ Increasing and varying the consumption of cooked vegetables and cold salads in main meals and fruit throughout the day allows to ensure the intake of nutrients (vitamins and minerals) essential for the correct functioning of the immune system and for overall health.