| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT
Globally, around 820 million people face hunger daily and more than two billion people lack vital micronutrients, affecting their health and life expectancy. Food choice as defined by the DFC, involves the processes through which people consider, select, prepare, distribute, and consume foods and beverages. Food choice behaviors are integral to social and economic expression of identities, preferences, and cultural meanings and ultimately influence nutrient intake and health. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how both health and food systems are linked to one another, and how local food systems are linked to global systems. The general objective of the study was to assess the extent to which people’s food choices and dietary patterns were impacted by COVID-19. Data collection was done using questionnaires including a food list and a food choice motive factor questionnaire. Adults of Kawempe division were randomly chosen to take part in the study as long as they met the inclusion criteria. Out of 250 participants of the study, 150 were males (60%), 100 were females (40%). Majority of the respondents (40%) were in the age bracket of 31-40 years followed by 32% who were in the age bracket of 18-30 years followed by 16% who were in the age bracket of 41-50 years while only 4% of the respondents were in the age bracket of 51-55 years, 44% were single followed by 36% who were married while other status were 20%. Majority of the respondents (60%) had attained tertiary level of education followed by 28% who had attained secondary education level followed by 10% who had primary level of education while only 2% of the respondents had no formal education. 92% of the respondents were employed in other occupations other than being either a doctor or teacher, 7.2 % of the respondents were teachers as their occupation while only 0.8% of the respondents were doctors. Results showed that there was an increase in the daily intake of fruits and vegetables during lockdown from an average of 20.3% before COVID-19 to 25.6% and 16.1% to 18% respectively. There was a general decrease in the daily consumption of meat, fish and poultry, fats and oils, milk and dairy products, pulses and legumes, and grains and cereals from an average of 16.1% to 11%, 27.5% to 13%, 19.8% to 12.3%, 19.3% to 17.2%, and 27% to 23.5% before COVID-19 and during lockdown respectively. The average number of meals consumed in a day dropped from 3 meals before the pandemic to one meal during lockdown. | en_US |
