Interesting new paper on changes in self-reported health behaviours during lockdown.

A big rise in psychological distress, but surprisingly no change in loneliness. An increase in frequency of drinking and binge drinking and a small fall in smoking rates

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2020-215060

One real strength of this study compared to many others that we've seen is that rather than asking people during lockdown to recall how they had felt/behaved before it started, the survey had been collecting this data already and can analyse changes within individuals over time.

Of course these measures are still self-reported, but at least the before/after comparisons are move valid than when pre-lockdown behaviours are being reported in hindsight.

Among people who completed the survey both before and during lockdown, psychological distress increased across almost all measures. No great surprise that people reported problems sleeping or concentrating and higher levels of unhappiness and stress.

Increased levels of distress were reported across all groups in the survey, but with the biggest increases among 18-24 year olds.

18-24 year olds were also the only group to report a significant increase in loneliness.

Almost every group (except 18-24 year olds) reported an increase in the number of people bink drinking at least once a week (6+ units of alcohol, so ~3 pints, large glasses of wine of doubles of spirits) and every group reported an increase in frequent drinking.

This is in spite of the fact that overall alcohol sales *fell* during lockdown, so there have clearly been some interesting changes in the ways that people were drinking during lockdown.

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h/t @andrewbrown365