Changes in dietary, lifestyle habits and mood in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey distributed across Greek universities.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had implications on students' life. This study aims to identify positive and negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic on students' life habits with the final goal to promote their general wellbeing. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to Greek undergraduate and graduate college students during the COVID-19 quarantine. The impact of the pandemic on the dietary and lifestyle habits were evaluated in 246 participants. Results: The study revealed that 57.7% of students boosted their fruit and vegetable intake, 43.1% consumed more meals, and 57.7% increased snacking. Breakfast eaters went from 57.7% to 66.6%, and those preparing homemade meals rose to 58.9%. Conversely, 61.4% reported increased sedentary time, 61.8% noted weight gain, and only 71% claimed a medium level of life satisfaction post-pandemic. Conclusion: Students developed some healthier dietary habits during the pandemic. However, many of them gained weight because of inactivity, adverse dietary behaviors and decreased level of life satisfaction.