Forty-five of the 50 U.S. state governments have issued shelter orders in place between March 19 and April 6, 2020, to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
“On average, they gained about 0.6 kilograms every 10 days or 1.8 kilograms a month during shelter orders instead,” said cardiologist Dr. Gregory Marcus, one of the researchers and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
The research found that this weight gain was regardless of geographical location or comorbidities. The study’s authors said that the implementation of shelter orders instead also corresponded to a decrease in the daily number of steps and an increase in self-reported overeating.
These two corresponding factors follow what experts believe is behind an increase in weight gain during the pandemic. CNN’s contribution to health and nutrition, Lisa Drayer, calls comfortable food, in particular, a problem at this stressful time.
During the blockade, many turned to high-calorie foods, such as sweets or pizza, to relieve stress when there is little left to do or expect, and work from home allows the kitchen to be at hand all day.
Just as the pandemic has changed eating habits, it has had an impact on exercise habits, according to Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
With gyms that many relied on, closed and people losing basic daily physical activity – such as walking from the parking lot to their office – some people simply don’t get the same level of exercise before they stop.
If you read this and think about your own less than ideal habits that you have taken in the last year, Drayer said that it is not the time to blame yourself.
“Definitely take a break,” Drayer said. “Food is one of life’s pleasures, and the pandemic has been so stressful that it’s understandable that we’ve eaten more of our favorite comfort foods – and more often and in larger quantities.”
However, it is important to recognize the unintended health consequences of shelter orders instead, the study authors said. They noted that their results show that strategies are needed to mitigate weight gain, as local governments are considering their responses to Covid-19 and future pandemics.
If this weight gain is significant and permanent, there could be wider implications for society, according to Drayer.
“It means there are other unintended health consequences associated with a pandemic that can complicate an already risky situation,” she said.
This is because obesity or overweight can increase the risk of severe disease caused by Covid-19, and obesity can triple the risk of hospitalization due to Covid-19, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How to view these results to address weight gain
This study had its limitations. The sample size of the study was small and not diverse: Of the 269 participants, 77% were white.
“The fact that they are (mostly) white only means that if you look at a racially diverse population, the results would be worse,” Apovian said. This is “because we know that obesity is more prevalent in different races.”
The study is dependence on Bluetooth scales and weight measurements leads to a reduction in the overall sample size, which is another limitation, the study authors said.
They also point out that the characteristics of people who have these scales – who already monitor their weight and pay attention to their health – may limit the extent to which the study’s findings can be applied in other settings, but say that tracking people over time in order to assess the weight changes during the sheltered orders in their place the threat to the internal validity is diminished.
“What I noticed may be an underestimation of the amount of weight gain most people have experienced – because, if anything, these people are particularly interested in health and research,” he said. said Marcus.
Given all this, Drayer said there are steps you can take to boost your metabolism, correct bad habits and lose a few pounds – even during a pandemic:
- Eat small and frequent meals. Eat three meals and three snacks each day, spaced three to four hours apart. Never skip meals; keep portable snacks handy for when you’re too busy to stop and eat. Try to be consistent with meal times and snacks.
- Include protein on the plate. Aim to include at least 3 ounces of protein per meal. For correct portioning, view the size of a computer mouse or a pack of books.
- Gradually start lifting weights. Mild weightlifting will help you maintain muscle mass, increase metabolism and tone while shedding pounds.
- Start walking. A brisk walk of at least 30 minutes each day will start your metabolism and help you burn extra calories.
- Find stress relief alternatives. Sometimes you may want to pamper your sweet teeth, but often a hot bath or walk around the block can reduce stress just as much.
Apovian hopes that at least Americans will learn the importance of tackling obesity.
“This brings into question the fact that your weight changes in a different environment. And it’s not your fault, it’s because (obesity is) a disease. And obesity is a dysfunction of the brain’s connections to hormones that control your appetite and satiety, “said Apovian.
“(The study) shows that your illness can get worse if you have a lot of food around you or don’t do much or stay at home. There is talk that this is not a matter of will. “