The health risks of lockdown have been exposed by Norwich researchers who found people drink more, do less exercise and eat less fruit and veg.

With households beginning a new national lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a University of East Anglia study has exposed the lifestyle behaviours during the first lockdown.

Eastern Daily Press: PE with Joe Wicks was among the ways people were enjoyable to do exercise during lockdown. But the study found overall rates fell.PE with Joe Wicks was among the ways people were enjoyable to do exercise during lockdown. But the study found overall rates fell. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

More than 1,000 participants took part in the first study of its kind, led by Dr Felix Naughton, of UEA School of Health Sciences, working together as co-lead with Prof Caitlin Notley, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School.

Prof Notley said: “Our findings indicate that on average, people’s health behaviours worsened in the early stages of the UK’s Covid-19 pandemic measures.

“It’s not surprising that restrictions on movement outside the house and difficulty getting groceries in the early days of lockdown may have led to a less healthy lifestyle for many.

“Overall, it seems to be that worsening unhealthy behaviours were associated with being younger, female and having a higher BMI.

Eastern Daily Press: Prof Caitlin Notley, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School.Prof Caitlin Notley, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School. (Image: Archant)

“The fact that people with higher BMI showed more unhealthy behaviours is concerning because excess body weight is associated with a more severe Covid-19 prognosis.”

The study saw participants asked to share information daily on smoking habits, alcohol consumption, mental wellbeing, physical activity, sleep and nutrition – as well as whether they are suffering Covid-19 relevant symptoms.

The team found that people were drinking more alcohol in total - with women drinking more frequently but men drinking greater quantities per drinking occasion.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich researchers who found people ate less fruit and veg during lockdown but there was no significant increase in junk food intake.Norwich researchers who found people ate less fruit and veg during lockdown but there was no significant increase in junk food intake. (Image: Archant)

Participants were also doing significantly less exercise with a 20 per cent reduction in days where people were doing 30 minutes or more moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Dr Naughton, who led the early analysis, said: “One of the most striking things we found was that people were eating around one portion less fruit and veg every day than they were before the pandemic.”

Eastern Daily Press: Dr Felix Naughton, of UEA School of Health Sciences.Dr Felix Naughton, of UEA School of Health Sciences. (Image: Archant)

But encouragingly the study doesn’t show an increase in eating junk food.

“We had expected that people might have been eating more high-calorie sugary foods,” said Dr Naughton. “But actually we didn’t see any change in the amount of high sugar foods people were eating.”