Global Changes and Factors of Increase in Caloric/Salty Food Intake, Screen Use, and Substance Use During the Early COVID 19 Containment Phase in the General Population in France: Survey Study
Background The international outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID 19) has led many countries to enforce drastic containment measures. It has been suggested that this abrupt lockdown of populations will foster addiction related habits such as caloric/salty food intake, screen use, and substance use. Objective Our aim was to assess the global changes and factors of increase in addiction related habits during the early COVID 19 containment phase in France. Methods A web based survey was provided from day 8 to day 13 of the containment and was completed by 11,391 participants. The questions explored sociodemographic features, psychiatric/addiction history, material conditions of lockdown, general stress, mental well being, and reported changes in several addiction related behaviors. Global changes were described and factors of increase were explored using population weighted and adjusted logistic regression models, providing adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and their 95% confidence intervals. Results Overall, the respondents reported more increases in addiction related habits than decreases, specifically 28.4% (caloric/salty food intake) 64.6% (screen use) 35.6% (tobacco use) 24.8% (alcohol use) and 31.2% (cannabis use) Reduced well being scores and increased stress scores were general factors of increase in addiction related habits (P<.001 for all habits) Factors of increase in caloric/salty food intake (n=10,771) were female gender (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.48 1.77) age less than 29 years (P<.001) having a partner (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.06 1.35) being locked down in a more confined space (per 1 square meter/person decrease: aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01 1.03) being locked down alone (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11 1.49) and reporting current (aOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.62 2.31) or past (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09 1.47) psychiatric treatment. Factors of increase in screen use (n=11,267) were female gender (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.21 1.43) age less than 29 years (P<.001) having no partner (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 1.32) being employed (P<.001) intermediate/high education level (P<.001) being locked down with no access to an outdoor space (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05 1.29) being locked down alone (aOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01 1.32) living in an urban environment (P<.01) and not working (P<.001) Factors of increase in tobacco use (n=2787) were female gender (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11 1.55) having no partner (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06 1.59) intermediate/low education level (P<.01) and still working in the workplace (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.17 1.86) Factors of increase in alcohol use (n=7108) were age 30 49 years (P<.05) a high level of education (P<.001) and current psychiatric treatment (aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.10 1.88) The only significant factor of increase in cannabis use (n=620) was intermediate/low level of education (P<.001) Conclusions The early phase of COVID 19 containment in France led to widespread increases in addiction related habits in the general population. Reduced well being and increased stress were universal factors of increase. More specific factors were associated with increases in each of the explored habits.
JMIR public health and surveillance