Effects of physical distancing by COVID-19 pandemic on diet quality, neurological and immunological markers, and fecal microbiota of Brazilian older women.

Physical distancing was used to prevent transmission of COVID-19, however there are concerns that this may promote harmful impacts on health, such as reduced levels of physical practice and changes in food intake and gut microbiota composition. This study evaluated the impacts of 6 months physical distancing on Brazilian older women upon body mass index (BMI), strength, physical activity level (IPAQ), eating habits, neurological markers (brain-derived neurotrophic factor-BDNF and cortisol), cytokines (IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor-TNF-α), aging-associated markers (vascular endothelial growth factor-VEGF, insulin-like growth factor-IGF-1, klotho and thymic stromal lymphopoietin-TSLP), besides specific groups of fecal microbiota. Fifteen women, over 60 years old, residents of São Paulo state (Brazil), were evaluated in March and in September 2020.