Forty-five of the 50 US governments issued orders from March 19 to April 6, 2020 to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
“On average, they gained about 0.6 pounds per 10 days or 1.8 pounds per month while sheltering,” said cardiologist Dr. Gregory Marcus, one of the authors of the study and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
This weight gain was independent of geographic location or co-morbidity, the study found. The study authors said the implementation of shelter-in-place orders also corresponded to a decrease in the number of daily steps and an increase in self-reported overeating.
These two corresponding factors keep track of what experts believe is behind an increase in weight gain during the pandemic. Lisa Drayer, who contributes to CNN’s health and nutrition, cites comfort in eating as a particular problem during this stressful time.
During a lockdown, many have switched to high-calorie foods like sweets or pizza to relieve stress when there is little else to do or look forward to, and working from home keeps the kitchen at your fingertips throughout the day.
Just as the pandemic changed eating habits, it has also impacted 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.
Because the gyms many relied on were closed, and people are missing out on basic daily physical activity – such as walking from the parking lot to their office – some people just don’t get the same level of exercise they had before closing.
If you’re reading this thinking about your own non-ideal habits you’ve picked up over the past year, Drayer said it’s no time to make yourself guilty.
“Be sure to take a break,” Drayer said. “Eating is one of the joys in life, and the pandemic was so stressful that it is understandable that we ate more of our favorite comfort foods – more often and in greater quantities.”
However, it’s important to acknowledge unintended health consequences of shelter-on-the-spot orders, the study authors said. They noted that their results show that there is a need for strategies to reduce weight gain as local governments consider their responses to Covid-19 and future pandemics.
If this weight gain is significant and permanent, there could be broader implications for society, according to Drayer.
“It means there are other unintended health consequences associated with a pandemic that could complicate an already high-risk situation,” she said.
This is because obesity or overweight can increase the risk of serious illness from Covid-19, while obesity may triple the risk of hospitalization due to Covid-19, according to the U.S. 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 Caucasian.
“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. That’s “because we know obesity is more common in different races.”
The study reliance on Bluetooth scales and weight measurements leads to a reduction in overall sample size, which is another limitation, the study authors said.
They also point out that characteristics of people who own these scales – who are already monitoring their weight and their health – may limit the extent to which the research results can be applied to other environments, but they say they track the individuals . Over time, assessing weight changes during shelter-in-place orders reduces the threat to internal validity.
“It may be that what we’ve observed is actually an underestimation of the magnitude of the weight gain that the majority of people have experienced – because if anything, these people are primarily interested in health and research,” Marcus said.
With all this in mind, Drayer said there are steps you can take to boost metabolism, correct bad habits, and shed some pounds – even during a pandemic:
- Eat small meals regularly. Eat three meals and three snacks every day, three to four hours apart. Never skip meals; keep portable snacks handy for times when you’re too busy to stop and eat. Try to be consistent with meals and snacks.
- Add protein to your plate. Aim to include at least 3 ounces of protein per meal. Visualize the size of a computer mouse or a deck of cards for proper portioning.
- Start lifting weights gradually. Light weight lifting helps you maintain lean muscle mass, boost metabolism and tone while shedding pounds.
- Start walking. A brisk walk of at least 30 minutes a day will jump-start your metabolism and help you burn extra calories.
- Find stress-relieving alternatives. Sometimes you may want to indulge your sweet tooth, but often a hot bath or a walk around the corner can be equally stress-relieving.
Apovian hopes Americans will at least learn the importance of tackling obesity.
“This brings up the point that your weight changes in a different environment. And it’s not your fault, it’s because (obesity) is a disease. And the disease of obesity is a dysfunction of the brain connections to the hormones that control your appetite. and appetite control, satiety, ”Apovian said.
“(The study) shows that your illness can get worse if you have a lot to eat or if you don’t overdo it or if you stay at home. It speaks to the fact that this is not a matter of willpower.”