糖心vlog蜜桃

Dr Rokas Arlauskas. Photo: VU Faculty of Medicine.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began six years ago, it has significantly influenced lifestyles worldwide, affecting eating habits, food choice criteria, the use of dietary supplements and physical activity. A representative scientific study conducted in Lithuania in 2025 revealed how indicators in these areas of our daily lives changed between 2021 and 2023. During the pandemic, people became increasingly concerned about their health, but reliable and clear guidance on what to do was lacking. We discuss the study's findings with Dr Rokas Arlauskas, a public health specialist at the Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, 糖心vlog蜜桃 (VU), who conducted the study.

A global wave of infection and mortality that forced society to change its habits

Following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020 by the World Health Organisation, many countries imposed restrictions on physical contact and limited medical assistance. 鈥淎 great deal of fear and uncertainty prompted people to look for alternative ways to protect their health by selecting food, vitamins and supplements to boost their immune systems,鈥� Dr Arlauskas noted. According to the scientist, at the same time, sports clubs closed, and people spent more time at home, largely sedentary, spending hours looking at their screens. Forced social isolation and quarantine have radically changed everyday life, and in many cases, led to a decrease in physical activity. Meanwhile, social media actively promoted food supplements as a means of combating COVID-19, despite a lack of scientific evidence to prove their effectiveness.

鈥淚t was clear that people鈥檚 daily habits had changed, but there was a lack of clear representative data across Lithuania as to how the pandemic had affected people鈥檚 diet, food supplement consumption and physical activity, nor how these parameters changed during and after the pandemic,鈥� the researcher explained. To obtain accurate data and identify any disparities between counties, cities, and villages in Lithuania, a study representing the entire population of Lithuania was initiated.

According to Dr Arlauskas, this was the first study of its kind in Lithuania, covering the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and the two years that followed. The survey was conducted three times in different counties, major cities and rural areas in Lithuania: in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Each time, 1,600 residents were surveyed. They employed a sampling method that ensured the representativeness of the data collected, such that every resident of Lithuania had an equal chance of being included in the survey. All respondents met the target criteria of gender, age, place of residence, and other relevant factors to accurately reflect the target population.

Are dietary choices beneficial to my health?

According to Dr Arlauskas, before the pandemic, most people chose food on a rather simplistic basis: 鈥淭he most important criteria were taste (37%) and price (24%), while health, i.e. the health benefits of the product, was only considered in third place. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed attitudes towards food and nutrition. According to data from the 2021鈥�2023 surveys, for the first time, many people considered the question, 鈥淚s it beneficial for my health?鈥� as the primary factor when choosing food. For the first time, health benefits surpassed price as the primary consideration, whereas taste became a secondary factor. People increasingly focused on foods that strengthened the body rather than those that were merely appealing in taste or lower in cost.

Urban residents adopted healthier eating habits more quickly than those in rural areas, although health concern gradually increased across all populations. Unfortunately, after the pandemic ended, food choices once again shifted toward taste and price, with health no longer being as decisive a factor as during the height of the pandemic.

Post-pandemic changes in physical activity

Dr Arlauskas explained that during the pandemic, approximately half of the working-age population was at least somewhat physically active, either attending training sessions or playing sports in their free time. 鈥淣early half of the population did not exercise at all, about one-third reported a decrease in physical activity, and only about one in nine said that their activity increased. The activity of those who exercised occasionally and irregularly before the pandemic declined the most. In contrast, those who either did not exercise at all or exercised very actively and maintained regular training reported smaller changes, as their habits were either very weak or very strong.鈥�

Following the pandemic, individuals who had been regularly active increased their physical activity, resuming training and even intensifying their exercise routines. Those who exercised only occasionally or were previously inactive showed some temporary improvement, but by 2023, their activity levels had decreased again. Notably, women experienced a larger decrease in physical activity than men, and urban residents were more likely than rural residents to report reduced activity levels. 鈥淚n other words, the pandemic acted as a 鈥榩ause鈥� for many, and afterwards, not everyone managed to regain momentum and return to their previous routines,鈥� Dr Arlauskas said.

Are dietary supplements just an illusion of protection against disease?

According to Dr Arlauskas, the consumption of dietary supplements increased during the pandemic, and it is quite clear who the biggest consumers were. 鈥淓ven before the pandemic, more than two-thirds (67.2%) of people used these supplements at least occasionally, but only a small proportion (10%) used them regularly. Overall, the number of people who regularly use supplements increased during the pandemic. Notably, there was a rise in the consumption of supplements aimed at supporting the immune and cardiovascular systems, joints and bones 鈥� a clear sign that people viewed them as a means to 鈥渇ortify鈥� themselves and protect against disease. Conversely, the use of supplements for energy, memory, sleep, or sports declined, suggesting a shift in focus from productivity or athletic performance to perceived protection from illness.鈥�

Following the pandemic, the overall use of supplements declined significantly; however, in 2023, it increased slightly again to 72.7%. The reasons for taking supplements remained largely unchanged, but in 2023, significantly fewer respondents mentioned 鈥減rotection against COVID-19鈥� as a reason, having apparently realised that supplements are not a miracle cure.

Women, younger adults with university degrees, urban residents, higher earners, and those choosing food for its health benefits, were more likely to use supplements. 鈥淎n interesting correlation emerged: supplement users were more likely to be physically active, while non-users were more likely to report that their physical activity remained unchanged during the pandemic,鈥� commented the researcher.

In the future, people鈥檚 behaviour during a pandemic will be easier to predict

The study examines changes in nutrition, the use of dietary supplements, and physical activity among Lithuanian adults from 2021 to 2023, while also highlighting differences across gender, age, education, income, and location. These findings can be used to plan health promotion programmes in municipalities, schools, and communities, and to accurately identify inequalities, highlighting which population groups need to be included in preventive programmes based on gender, age, income, and location.

Based on the survey results, recommendations can be formulated for municipal public health agencies and other institutions. These initiatives will include actively educating the public about healthy nutrition, emphasising the nutritional value of food products, teaching the rational and targeted use of food supplements, shaping attitudes towards a healthy, physically active lifestyle, and encouraging physical activity among the population through various interventions.

鈥淭hese recommendations, together with the data presented on the behaviour of different groups, can serve as a valuable basis for planning information campaigns and preventive measures in the event of a similar pandemic in the future. Attention should be given to health literacy, promoting the critical selection of food supplements and the importance of maintaining physical activity, especially among young people, urban residents and women, whose activity tends to decline the most. Consequently, in the event of another pandemic, we would be able to improvise much less and rely more on research data that revealed where people tend to overestimate supplements, where they forget to exercise, and how behaviour can be addressed through clearer, science-based recommendations,鈥� commented Dr Arlauskas.

鈥淚t is very important to monitor and record changes and inconsistencies, so I am continuing the research. We already have and are analysing data for 2024 and 2025, which not only allows us to assess the situation but also to predict changes. This will be useful for public health policy makers and for preparing strategic documents in the field of public health and will provide the opportunity to plan public health interventions both nationwide and in individual counties,鈥� said the scientist. According to Dr Arlauskas, the study's findings are particularly useful for municipal public health agencies, as they provide a scientific basis for health education and promotion, taking into account the identified inequalities. This also enables targeted interventions for specific population groups in Lithuania, streamlining planning and ensuring a more effective use of funds allocated for this purpose.