Assessing Changes in Lifestyle and Health-Related Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey Among Lebanese Adults

Abstract Background The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly become a worldwide threat to human health and has significantly impacted peoples’ lives and changed their lifestyle and health behaviors (LHB). This study aims to assess changes in lifestyle and health-related behaviors such as daily habits, dietary habits, physical activity, sleep patterns, psychological problems, and sexual behaviors among the general population in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey conducted between January 9 and January 28, 2021, enrolled 403 Lebanese adults. The study questionnaire was developed on Google forms in English and Arabic. It included questions about sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19, and behavior changes (smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual and hygiene behaviors, and intake of nutritional supplements and immunity-boosting foods), in addition to three scales, i.e., the Lifestyle and Health Behaviors Changes (LHBC-17), WHO-5 Well-being Index, and Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S). Data analysis was done on SPSS software version 21. Results The mean age of participants was 29.74 ± 10.81 years, with 51.2% of females. Most participants reported that COVID-19 has profoundly affected their LHBs, whether positively or negatively. Female gender (Beta=-2.336), living in Lebanon (Beta=-7.502), smoking nargileh (Beta=-3.433), having a high BMI (Beta=-0.263), and spending more hours per day using electronic devices during the COVID-19 lockdown (Beta=-0.853) were significantly associated with lower LHBC-17 scores (negative LHB changes). Whereas, living in an urban region (Beta = 2.464), having a job (Beta = 1.920), good overall health (Beta = 3.543), a higher quality of life (Beta = 0.204), and having physical (Beta = 2.101) and mental (Beta = 1.586) health unaffected by the COVID-19 lockdown were all significantly associated with higher LHBC-17 scores (positive LHB changes). Conclusions Lebanese adults reported several unfavorable lifestyle changes and psychological problems during the lockdown due to COVID-19. Health-promotion strategies are needed to assess negative changes both on physical or mental health and maintain as much as possible positive health-related behaviors among the Lebanese population.