Dietary habits by income level during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: results from the IndoNutriLifeCOVID-19 online survey

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused many lifestyle changes, especially in the diet. Policies such as physical distancing and quarantine orders aimed to mitigate to spread of COVID-19 have affected the economy and, therefore, the dietary habits of the people. Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze the associations between income levels and dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 697 Indonesian adults from various regions in Indonesia. The study was conducted from June - August 2020. Data were obtained through a self-administered online questionnaire including dietary habits, lifestyles, and quality of life data adapted from MyNutriLifeCOVID-19 Online Survey. To analyze the associations between income levels and dietary habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, a chi square test was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Respondents had mean age of 27.56 ± 8.58 years and the majority were women (83.6%). The percentage of people with large-scale social restrictions was 47.5%. Respondents reported that their dietary habits were healthier during the pandemic (46.2%), with the majority categorized as high and very high-income status (59.1%). From self-reported of the people in Indonesia, there was association between high-income level and self-perceived healthier dietary habits. Higher-income level was also associated with higher frequency of online food/drink delivery, consuming western diet foods, consuming dietary supplements, and probiotic consumption (p