Online jokes about the “quarantine 15” belie the challenges faced by people with obesity amid shutdowns of fitness centers and stay-at-home orders in the coronavirus pandemic, physicians and public health experts say.
Gaining more weight during pandemic protocols only increases difficulties for those trying to establish healthy habits in eating, exercise and weight control, they say.
Researchers found that 70% of survey participants with obesity reported more difficulty achieving weight loss goals, 61% reported more stress eating, 50% reported more food stockpiling, 48% reported exercising less and 56% reported a decrease in exercise intensity, according to a study published this month
“Those numbers were striking when you’re seeing the majority of your sample reporting these deleterious behaviors, there’s cause for concern for sure. These aren’t typical statistics you see,” said Sarah Messiah, a study author and a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health who works with people who are obese.
“A lot of patients will tell you it’s really easy to fall back into old habits when you don’t have access to your gym or fitness classes or maybe food services that you feel have been helping you get back to a healthier weight,” Ms. Messiah said.
