The Impact of the First and Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Eating Symptoms and Dysfunctional Eating Behaviours in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the prevalence of feeding and eating disorder (FED) symptoms or dysfunctional eating behaviours (DEB) in the general population during the COVID-19 outbreak. Method: We searched eligible articles in biomedical databases from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2022. Prevalence rates of FED or DEB changes between pre-pandemic and pandemic time and correlation with psychological distress were pooled with a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was tested using I-squared (I2) statistics. A total of 186 studies with 406,076 participants met the inclusion criteria. Results: The more prevalent FED or DEB during the COVID-19 outbreak were: body image concerns (52%, 95% CI 0.38, 0.66), binge eating (40%, 95% CI 0.25, 0.55), and overeating (40%, 95% CI = 0.32–0.48). Pooled data of longitudinal studies (k = 8) only showed a significant difference in the prevalence of weight gain from pre-pandemic to the pandemic time. Finally, increased levels of psychological distress (k = 35) positively correlated with some ED symptoms. Conclusion: This meta-analysis evidenced a negative impact of the pandemic on eating symptoms and DEB in the general population.
Keywords: COVID-19; general population; eating disorders; dysfunctional eating behaviours; meta-analysis; systematic review