International Conference on Nursing and Allied Health for Sustainability [ICoNAHS] 2025
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Publication Open Access Food Habits Changes and their Impact on Young Adults During COVID-19 Lockdown in Sri Lanka(School of Nursing, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Chamodini, H. W. T.; Mihirani, N. H. G. M.; Sandamali, P. G. S.; Dilrukshi, A. N.; Perera, A. C. H.; Sewwandi, K. P. A.Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in many aspects of life. Nutrition is one important aspect that has been impacted both positively and negatively. Pandemic mitigation strategies restricted the movement of people, disrupting food production, distribution, and accessibility. On the other hand, the quantity and the quality of nutrition were also altered considerably. Young adults are vulnerable to multiple changes, including nutrition. It has been a timely requirement to study these changes during challenging situations, and the findings can be utilized to introduce nutritional guidelines during pandemic periods and nutritional recovery guidelines during post -pandemic periods. The study explores alterations in dietary habits and lifestyle patterns among Sri Lankan young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional design, data were collected from 118 participants aged 18-30 through an online questionnaire. The study revealed decreased consumption of vegetables, fruits, and chocolates, accompanied by higher levels of water intake and more frequent dinners. Physical activity levels declined significantly, while body weight and sleep duration increased. The research highlights the lockdown's multifaceted impact on young adults' health, emphasizing the need fortargeted nutritional and physical activity guidelines during such crises and even during post -pandemic periods.