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. 2021 Feb 12;18(4):1813.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041813.

"Stay-at-Home" Lifestyle Effect on Weight Gain during the COVID-19 Outbreak Confinement in China

Qi Zhu  1   2 , Min Li  1 , Yu Ji  2 , Youpeng Shi  2 , Jie Zhou  2 , Qianyue Li  2 , Ruoyu Qin  2 , Xun Zhuang  1
Affiliations

"Stay-at-Home" Lifestyle Effect on Weight Gain during the COVID-19 Outbreak Confinement in China

Qi Zhu et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

In February 2020, a novel coronavirus (SARS-COV2) broke out in Wuhan city of China. The Chinese government decisively imposed nationwide confinement. This study comprised a structured, online questionnaire, based on 40 items inquiring about socio-demographic information and anthropometric data (reporting weight and height), as well as changes in food intake, physical activity, and sleep during the COVID-19 outbreak. Questionnaires were distributed to residents of Jiangsu and other provinces from 29 March to 5 April. A total of 889 respondents were included, aged between 16 and 70 years (61% females). There was a significant increase in total food intake by 9.8% and a slight increase by 29.2% of respondents, and a significant decrease in physical activity by 31.5% and a slight decrease by 23.4% of respondents, especially in snacks and drinks, and outdoor activities. The rate of weight gain in the total population was 30.6% and the average weight gain was 0.5 ± 2.8 kg. The main factors contributing to weight gain were increased food intake and reduced physical activity. Additionally, normal-weight people were more likely to gain weight than people with overweight/obesity during the COVID-19 confinement. This study provided a good warning and educational reference value on lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 confinement.

Keywords: COVID-19; food intake; physical activity; weight gain; “stay-at-home” lifestyle.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) The interaction between changes in total food intake and whether overweight/obesity before the outbreak on weight gain. (B) The interaction between changes in physical activity and whether overweight/obesity before the outbreak on weight gain. (C) The interaction between the changes in total food intake and physical activity on weight gain.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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