Social distancing, feeling of sadness and lifestyles of the Brazilian population during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

The aim was to analyze adherence to social distancing, repercussions on the mood and changes in the lifestyles of the Brazilian adult population during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. A crosssectional study with adult individuals living in Brazil (n = 45,161) who participated in the virtual health survey ConVid – Behavior Survey, from April 24 to May 24, 2020. Of the sample studied, only 1.5% led normal lives, without any social restrictions and 75% stayed at home, of which 15% stayed strictly at home. The frequent feelings of sadness or depression (35.5%), isolation (41.2%) and anxiety (41.3%) were reported by a large part of the studied population. It was found that 17% of participants reported increased consumption of alcoholic beverages and 34% of smokers increased the number of cigarettes. There was an increase in the consumption of unhealthy foods and a reduction in the practice of physical activity in the period studied. It was concluded that there was a high adherence to social distancing and an increase in feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety, as well as an increase in the consumption of unhealthy foods, use of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and a reduction in the practice of physical activity.