Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34460991›Full record

SynthesisEuropean eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association2021

Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on eating disorders and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lucia Sideli, Gianluca Lo Coco, Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti, Bianca Borsarini, Lucia Fortunato, Cristina Sechi, Nadia Micali

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 93 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
93citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

93 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  12. Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on eating disorders and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2021
    Pooled it
  13. Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Psychopathology at the Onset of Eating Disorders.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2026
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33 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Lucia SideliDepartment of Human Science, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6124-6897
Gianluca Lo CocoDepartment of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9027-1899
Rubinia Celeste BonfantiDepartment of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3119-7013
Bianca BorsariniDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Lucia FortunatoDepartment of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Cristina SechiDepartment of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8900-6983
Nadia MicaliDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5571-2273

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine: the pooled prevalence of symptomatic behaviours and mental health deterioration amongst individuals with eating disorders (EDs) and obesity during the COVID-19 confinement. Moreover, we examined changes in EDs and distress before and during the confinement, and the association between psychosocial factors and EDs symptoms.

methodA systematic search was carried out in biomedical databases from January 2020 to January 2021. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that used quantitative measures of ED symptoms and psychological distress during and after the COVID-19 confinement were included.

resultsA total of 26 studies met inclusion criteria (n = 3399, 85.7% female). The pooled prevalence of symptomatic deterioration in EDs was 65% (95% CI[48,81], k = 10). The pooled prevalence of increased weight in obesity was 52% (95% CI[25,78], k = 4). More than half of the participants experienced depression and anxiety. Moreover, at least 75% of the individuals with EDs reported shape and eating concerns, and increased thinking about exercising. However, the pooled analyses of longitudinal studies showed no significant differences from pre-pandemic levels to the first lockdown phase in Body Mass Index and ED symptoms, whereas only few studies suggested increased distress, particularly among individuals with anorexia nervosa.

conclusionsThe majority of individuals with EDs and obesity reported symptomatic worsening during the lockdown. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to identify vulnerable groups, as well as the long-term consequences of COVID-19.

Indexed as

COVID-19Feeding and Eating DisordersCommunicable Disease ControlCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleObesitySARS-CoV-2COVID-19distresseating disordersmeta-analysisobesitysystematic review

Identifiers

PMID34460991
PMCPMC8652707

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.