For many, buttoning one’s jeans has gotten increasingly harder during the pandemic, and researchers have now estimated just how many pounds people under shelter-in-place orders tended to gain.
A new research letter (published in JAMA Network Open) says researchers used data from a heart study in which 269 participants weighed themselves using Bluetooth-connected smart scales between February 1 and June 1 of last year.
They found that during the shelter-in-place period, people gained an average 0.6 pounds every 10 days (“irrespective of geographic location or comorbidities”).
Do the math. 0.6 pounds. Every 10 days.
Time to hire a trainer?
Researcher Dr. Gregory M. Marcus says Americans who have maintained the habits of lockdown over the past year could have packed on 20 pounds. And all these numbers may be low, he says, because the participants had actually been losing weight prior to lockdown. He explains: “It’s reasonable to assume these individuals are more engaged with their health in general, and more disciplined and on top of things. That suggests we could be underestimating — that this is the tip of the iceberg.”
A recent survey from the American Psychological Association of more than 3,000 adults says 42% reported experiencing undesired weight gain, with the average gain clocking in at 29 pounds. But 18% reported an undesired weight loss, with the average there being 26 pounds.
26 POUNDS. 0.6 POUNDS EVERY 10 DAYS. SAFER, YET, MORE CURVY... AT HOME!
Here's a bit more for you, now that this news is going around the campfire:
If you haven’t been counting calories or sticking to KETO in lockdown, the good and bad news is you’re not alone. A new study has found the average American adult has gained about half a pound for every 10 days they spent in quarantine during the past year. Meaning that anytime someone had to stay home from work for the CDC recommended two weeks when they felt symptoms or came in close contact, they came back to the office carrying an extra pound of weight.
The researchers found the biggest culprits for us packing on the pounds were lack of activity and an increase in snacking. People also noted that they were overeating more than usual in the past year. And to be fair, you have to do something while you’re watching Netflix.
Interestingly, the researchers found this effect was “irrespective of geographic location.” So even in warm states where people could workout outside, they weren’t. Turns out working from home doesn’t mean working out at home.
HT: Insider