The war between Israel and Iran has caused an array of health-related symptoms among the public, a recent study conducted by the Hebrew University’s Federmann School of Public Policy and Government found.
The non-peer-reviewed research, led by epidemiologist and clinical dietitian Dr. Roni Lotan and Prof. Eyal Pe’er from the For a Change: Applied Research for Behavioral Solutions in Health and Sustainability Lab, discovered that nearly two-thirds of Israelis have experienced a “sharp decline” in overall physical activity and a reduction in sleep duration.
In addition, the study marked an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, with just over half of participants reporting increased intake of sweets, pastries, and similar foods. This coincided with a similarly sized decrease in produce consumption, while alcohol consumption increased.
Notably, the study detected no correlation between increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and decreased consumption of produce, attributing the former to a general increase in food intake.
Moreover, the war’s impact on food consumption was found to be more pronounced among female participants than among male ones.
However, a correlation was observed between increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and reduced physical activity, with those struggling with sleep loss reporting both.
Smokers were also found to have increased their daily cigarette use, though the study cautioned that the sample size in this category was relatively small.
One of the most significant factors contributing to negative health effects was siren frequency, the researchers determined. This was correlated with reduced sleep and lower physical activity.
Children among those affected by war
Around half of the participating parents in the study reported that their children had increased their consumption of ultra-processed foods and had reduced both physical activity and sleep duration.
Also, 85% of the participating parents reported that children aged two to 10 had increased screen time.
The study noted that these findings were “clustered,” suggesting that the war did not affect isolated behaviors but rather led to a simultaneous deterioration in children’s health across multiple areas.
With this in mind, parents with young children were found to have experienced a lower increase in their alcohol consumption than those without, suggesting the children served as a sort of “protective factor.”
According to Lotan, the findings highlight the urgent need for targeted health interventions during emergencies.
Lotan, who specializes in behavioral health, suggested facilitating access to home-based physical activity, shaping healthier family food environments, and supporting parents in maintaining structured daily routines for their children.