A new study from The American Psychological Association’s Stress in America pandemic survey found that out of 3,013 adults in the U.S., 61% said the coronavirus lockdown has caused undesirable weight changes.
The study found that 42% of U.S. adults said they gained an average 29 pounds, while 10% said they gained more as much as 50 pounds, CBS News reported.
The pandemic caused more women (45%) to pack on extra pounds, compared to men (39%), and millennials gained an average weight of 41 pounds, while Gen Z gained an average of 28 pounds.
"As an obesity medicine specialist... I find it to be alarming, for sure," Fitch said. "But you can see where it could be the case. I mean, it's been a very challenging year, on multiple levels," Dr. Angela Fitch, vice president of the Obesity Medicine Association told CBS News.
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People who experienced the most weight gain were among those who faced extra challenges during the pandemic. Parents gained an average of 36 pounds, and essential workers gained an average of 38 pounds.
"We have seen a lot of patients of ours that are nurses that express that quite a bit, that they've had weight gain, because of the stress and because it's hard to eat now in the hospital — taking off your mask to drink, to eat, is a challenging situation, so it does make for eating potentially not as healthfully or skipping meals and then eating more in one sitting," said Finch, who is also associate director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center.
Additionally, 18% of those who experienced undesirable changes in their weight reported shedding an average of 26 pounds.
Fitch noted that drinking more alcohol can contribute to higher calorie intake. "That, being home more, eating more out of stress, and stress in and of itself is a known factor in weight gain and obesity."