You look at the mirror, and you don't like
what you're seeing. You feel heavier than usual. You feel like you're moving
slower than you used to. You're not used to this, and you're starting to feel
bad about yourself.
It's been over a year, and you realize you
gained weight during the pandemic. And you're starting to hate yourself for it.
Don't. You're not the only person in the
world who gained weight during the pandemic. According to a study published in
the journal The Obesity Society, 27% of people around the world believed they gained
weight following the lockdown. This includes obese people, with 33% of
them saying they gained even more weight.
According to the study, this could be due
to people's unhealthy behavior in response to the pandemic. Stress and anxiety
levels shoot up due to the pandemic, which caused people to eat unhealthily.
And, because of stress, people felt a lot better by giving into their sweet
cravings. It also causes people insomnia and interrupted sleep.
Because of the stay-at-home orders, people
also tend to move less. Because of the remote work setup, there is limited time
to go outdoors for physical activity. There is also less time in the daily
commute. Because of this, people tend to be stuck in front of their desks and
work eight hours a day with limited breaks. The usual hustle and
bustle pre-pandemic routine has now turned into a sedentary lifestyle.
This response to a difficult situation like the pandemic is normal. But, experts can't help but worry about the kind of lifestyle people are in these days. It could be high time we all look into our weight before it takes its toll on our mental health.