How Much Weight Did We Really Gain During COVID Lockdown?

June 17, 2022 — A small serving to of fine information from the COVID-19 pandemic: Americans didn’t appear to fill all that point spent at dwelling throughout the early months of the outbreak by filling their stomachs.

A research of over 100,000 adults discovered that the nation, as an entire, placed on the identical quantity of weight because of stay-at-home orders than earlier than the illness arrived. Some did acquire weight, in keeping with the researchers, however many others averted the temptation to show lockdowns into open season on their waistlines. The findings appeared Thursday within the journal JAMA Network Open.

“While many feel that the COVID stay-at-home orders led to large weight gains, our study found no evidence to support this concern,” says Rena R. Wing, PhD, director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center on the Miriam Hospital, in Providence, RI, who led the brand new research.

Thanks to a “set-point” that tends to maintain physique weight regular, “over a period of about a year, most people will maintain their regular weight,” she says.

Wing’s group used the digital well being information from 102,889 adults (imply age 56.4 years) handled on the University of Pittsburgh to assemble details about weight, physique mass index, race, and ethnicity. Of the full, 64% have been ladies, 90% have been non-Hispanic Whites, and eight% have been Black.

Between January 2018 and March 2020, individuals gained a mean of 0.18 kg (about 0.4 lb). Between March 2020 and November 2021, after stay-at-home orders arrived, individuals gained 0.22 kg, on common – a 0.04 kg improve, or about 1.4 ounces, roughly the burden of three empty cans of soda. The findings have been constant throughout all racial teams, not not like earlier findings COVID-19 and weight acquire, in keeping with the researchers.

When the researchers checked out information collected in individual, excluding telemedicine visits, the burden features pre- and post-shutdowns have been even slighter.

At least one earlier research confirmed bigger weight features as a result of they used self-reported information, self-selected participation, or weight fluctuations over quick intervals of time. But Wing’s group used weights recorded in digital medical information, which in concept are extra dependable, they stated.

But the outcomes will not be generalized to all adults as a result of the info have been taken from folks in search of medical care, who may need had different points affecting their weight.

“These findings should help to mitigate public health concerns that COVID-19 shutdown orders led to weight gain in adults,” they wrote.