Change in Diet Quality and Meal Sources During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Subset of Men and Women in the Cancer Prevention Study-3

OBJECTIVES: The massive spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) and subsequent restrictive measures caused disruptions in daily routines and behaviors, including changes in diet that may have consequences on immediate health and longer term risk of chronic disease. Our objective was to assess two-year changes in diet quality among subgroups of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) cohort. METHODS: In August 2020, an online COVID-19 survey that assessed food group intakes, meal sources, and COVID-related questions was completed by a subgroup of 2,335 CPS-3 participants. Paired t-tests evaluated reported change in behaviors from 2018 to 2020. A diet quality score assigned higher points for greater frequency of foods recommended by cancer prevention guidelines, and lower points for foods that are not recommended. RESULTS: While diet quality improved slightly, on average, from 2018 to 2020, consumption of component food groups decreased (P