Food Behavior chosen among communities in preventing of COVID-19 infection in East Java

Abstract

Covid-19 prevention including food behavior must be promote to increase body
immunity and decrease the spread of infection. The aim of this study was to describe
the prevention behavior of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) among communities and
to examine their food behavior during pandemic. We did analysis from secondary data.
Data was derived from online survey with self-administered questionnaire did by
Nutrition Laboratory. A 721 respondent aged 19-60 years old who lived in East Java
province was included. Respondents characteristics, information resource and food
behavior regarding with covid-19 prevention were collected. The most of respondent
was educated and worked in private sector with the mean age of 33 years old. We
showed that washing hand both using soap and handsanitizer was the most prevention
behavior which was done by 97% respondents followed by limiting outdoor activities
(85%) and eat balanced diet (82%). Online health information was the most trustworthy
resources regarding their prevention behavior which was chosen by 75% respondents,
followed by health-care worker information (70%). Increasing fruits consumption was
the food behavior change during pandemic, beside reducing buying food outside.
Guava, banana and dried date was the three top vitamin A rich-fruits chosen by
respondents.We concluded that increasing fruits consumption should be promoted as
education among communities in East Java by online media as the education channel
for communities.