Are you overweight during the Corona pandemic? … Here’s what to do to deal with it

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – Some people may have gained more than 1.5 pounds, or an average of 0.6 kilograms, per month during home support measures to prevent Covid-19, between March and April this year year.

45 of the 50 U.S. state governments issued home stay orders from March 19 to April 6, 2020, to limit the spread of the novel Corona virus.

A research team studied 7,500 weight measurements from 269 participants during a period between February 1 and June 1, 2020, according to a research letter published Monday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.

The participants were part of the “Health eHeart” study, and their weight measurements were taken from smart scales connected to Bluetooth.

“On average, participants gained about 0.6 pound every 10 days or 1.8 pounds per month during home procedures,” said cardiologist Dr Gregory Marcus, one of the research authors and professor of medicine at the University of California – San Francisco.

Why might people gain weight during a pandemic?

Research found that this weight gain was independent of the geographic location or co-morbidities of the participants.

The study authors said that enforcing stay-at-home orders was also consistent with a decrease in daily steps and an increase in overeating.

Experts believe that these two factors are behind the weight gain during the pandemic.

And Lisa Dreyer, a CNN health and nutrition contributor, considers comfort eating, in particular, to be a problem during this stressful time.

During the lockdown, many turned to high-calorie foods such as candy or pizza for stress relief when there is not much to do or expect, and working from home helps keep the family busy. kitchen to be on hand throughout the day.

And just as the pandemic has changed eating habits, it has also had an impact on exercise habits, says Dr. Caroline Abovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Gyms that many depend on are closed and people losing basic daily physical activity like walking distance from the parking lot to their office, some people no longer get the same level of exercise they did before the lockdown .

The study authors stressed the importance of recognizing the unintended health consequences of the stay-at-home procedure, and indicated that their results show that strategies are needed to mitigate weight gain, as local governments consider their responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. and future epidemics.

And if that weight gain is significant and permanent, there could be broader effects on society, Dreyer says.

Obesity or being overweight may increase the risk of developing highly symptomatic Covid-19 disease, as obesity is likely to triple the risk of hospitalization due to the epidemic, according to the state Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -United.

How to present these results to cope with weight gain

This study is limited because the study sample size is small and not very varied: among the 269 participants, 77% of them were white.

“The fact that the majority of them are white means that if you look at an ethnically diverse group the results will be worse,” said Dr Caroline Abovian, explaining that obesity is known to be more prevalent among people. different races.

Another limitation, the study authors said, is the study’s reliance on Bluetooth scales and weight measurements.

The study’s authors explain that characteristics of people wearing these scales, who actually monitor their weight and care about their health, may limit the extent to which the study results can be applied elsewhere.

With all of this in mind, Dreyer said there are steps you can take to increase metabolism, correct bad habits and shed pounds, even in the midst of the pandemic:

1. Eat small, frequent meals: Eat three main meals and three snacks each day, at intervals of three to four hours. And never miss a meal; Keep snacks on hand when you’re too busy to stop and eat. And try to be consistent with the times of the main meals and snacks.
2. Incorporate protein into your plateMake sure you include at least 3 ounces of protein per serving.
3. Gradually start lifting weights: Light weight training will help you maintain muscle mass, boost metabolism, and build muscle while losing weight.
4. aHe started to walk: Brisk walking for at least 30 minutes each day will boost your metabolism and help you burn extra calories.
5. Find alternatives to relieve stress: Sometimes you might want to indulge in dessert, but often times a hot bath or a walk around the block can be a stress reliever alternative as well.

Abovian hopes the study will inspire the question of the importance of treating obesity.

“The study indicates that the weight changes in a different environment and that obesity is a failure of the brain to communicate with the hormones that control your appetite,” said Abovian.

“The study shows that obesity can get worse if you have a lot of food around you, or if you don’t eat a lot or if you stay at home,” Abovyan added. will be.”