Recovery from COVID-19 was associated with altered appetite characteristics, particularly fullness and taste, but unhealthy dietary behaviors were prevalent among both recovered and COVID-free young adults.
Significant differences in fullness and taste were observed between COVID-19 recovered individuals and COVID-free individuals, while hunger did not differ significantly between groups.
Eating more food than planned differed significantly between COVID-19 recovered and COVID-free groups.
Dietary supplement use varied significantly between recovered and COVID-free participants.
High consumption of junk food and soft drinks and low fruit intake were reported in both COVID-19 recovered and COVID-free groups.
The study sample consisted of 805 participants, with a majority being female and relatively young.
This research examined whether recovering from COVID-19 affects how people experience appetite and what they eat compared to people who were never infected. Using an online survey completed in January 2022, researchers compared 386 people who had recovered from COVID-19 to 419 people who had never been infected. The study found that COVID-19 recovery was linked to changes in feelings of fullness and taste perception, while hunger levels did not differ meaningfully between the two groups. Recovered individuals also differed from COVID-free individuals in their tendency to eat more food than planned and in their use of dietary supplements. Despite these differences related to COVID-19, the study also found that unhealthy eating habits — such as high consumption of junk food and soft drinks and low fruit intake — were common in both groups. This suggests that poor dietary patterns among young adults are a widespread issue not exclusively tied to COVID-19 infection. This research suggests that people recovering from COVID-19 may experience lasting changes in how their body signals fullness and how they perceive taste, which could affect their eating behaviors during recovery. At the same time, the finding that both recovered and never-infected individuals showed unhealthy dietary habits points to a broader need for nutritional education and public health programs targeting young adults, particularly in the post-pandemic period.
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Upload Your LabsAlzaben A, Alhashem A, Albawardi A, Bin-Saleem A, Alfawaz D, Alnuwisser R, et al.. (2026). Does COVID-19 infection change appetite and dietary habits?. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000050383