A retrospective study about dietary patterns, physical activity, and nutritional challenges among Mexican adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted developing countries like Mexico. The present study aimed to assess the consumption of various food groups among Mexican adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted; 1082 Mexican adults were recruited through online invitations containing a link to take a survey. A 48-item questionnaire was designed to assess food consumption frequency and sociodemographic characteristics semi-quantitatively. A retrospective instrument was used to evaluate physical activity in days per week (days/week) and time (hours/minutes). The main finding highlighted the identification of two dietary patterns (DPs): industrialised and healthy. The industrialised DP was more prevalent and was characterised by the consumption of dairy products with added sugars, beverages with added sugar, alcoholic beverages, confectionery, sweets, fried foods, and red and processed meats. Men showed a significantly higher consumption of industrialised foods, at 22.5 %, compared to 15.5 % in women. The participants did not adhere to recommendations for consuming fruits, vegetables, legumes, and natural dairy products. Beverages with added sugar intake exceeded recommendations threefold for both genders. The study found that nut consumption was lower than optimal, while the intake of red and processed meat was excessive. Regarding physical activity, only 29.7 % of participants reported having optimal physical activity.