Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Dec;37(12):1547-1564.
doi: 10.1080/08870446.2022.2038790. Epub 2022 Feb 12.

Correlates of psychological distress among adults with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alena C Borgatti  1   2 , Kaylee B Crockett  3 , Alexandra E Jacob  2 , Andrea L Davis  1   2 , Gareth R Dutton  1
Affiliations

Correlates of psychological distress among adults with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alena C Borgatti et al. Psychol Health. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The present study evaluated changes in stress and loneliness among participants with obesity engaged in weight loss self-management in the United States (US) during COVID-19, and identified factors that may increase risk or protect against psychosocial distress during this time.

Design: Participants who were enrolled in a weight self-management program prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 55, 91% female, 36% Caucasian, mean age = 49.8 years) completed an online survey about social, economic and health behaviour changes during COVID-19 and their relationship to changes in perceived stress and loneliness.

Main outcome measures: Perceived Stress (PSS-4), Loneliness (PROMIS loneliness and social isolation questionnaire).

Results: Compared to pre-COVID assessments, stress and loneliness increased 40% two months into the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown. Higher body mass index (BMI) and social distancing were associated with increases in both loneliness and stress. Alcohol intake was associated with increased stress, and working from home was associated with increased loneliness.

Conclusion: Individuals with obesity endorsed increased stress and loneliness during COVID-19, which may be exacerbated among those with a higher BMI and greater adherence to social distancing guidelines. Ongoing attention to psychosocial well-being among individuals with obesity will remain imperative both during the ongoing pandemic and beyond.

Keywords: COVID-19; loneliness; obesity; social isolation; stress.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figures 1a, 1b, and 1c:
Figures 1a, 1b, and 1c:
Loneliness (panel A) and perceived stress (panel B) measured approximately 8 months pre-COVID lockdown, 2-months pre-COVID lockdown, and during COVID-related lockdown among 55 adults enrolled in a self-directed weight loss study. Figure 1c depicts changes in loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by minority status.
Figures 2a and 2b:
Figures 2a and 2b:
Loneliness and Perceived Stress scores differed significantly among groups engaged in various levels of adherence to social distancing guidelines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Apolloni A, Marathe A, & Pan Z. (2011). A Longitudinal View of the Relationship Between Social Marginalization and Obesity. In Salerno J, Yang SJ, Nau D, & Chai S-K (Eds.), Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction (Vol. 6589, pp. 61–68). Springer Berlin; Heidelberg. 10.1007/978-3-642-19656-0_10 - DOI
    1. Bhasker AG, & Greve JW (2020). Are Patients Suffering from Severe Obesity Getting a Raw Deal During COVID-19 Pandemic? Obesity Surgery, 30(10), 4107–4108. 10.1007/s11695-020-04677-z - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brosschot JF, Gerin W, & Thayer JF (2006). The perseverative cognition hypothesis: A review of worry, prolonged stress-related physiological activation, and health. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60(2), 113–124. 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.06.074 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cacioppo JT, Hawkley LC, Crawford LE, Ernst JM, Burleson MH, Kowalewski RB, Malarkey WB, Van Cauter E, & Berntson GG (2002). Loneliness and Health: Potential Mechanisms. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64(3), 407–417. - PubMed
    1. Calder PC, Ahluwalia N, Brouns F, Buetler T, Clement K, Cunningham K, Esposito K, Jönsson LS, Kolb H, Lansink M, Marcos A, Margioris A, Matusheski N, Nordmann H, O’Brien J, Pugliese G, Rizkalla S, Schalkwijk C, Tuomilehto J, … Winklhofer-Roob BM (2011). Dietary factors and low-grade inflammation in relation to overweight and obesity. British Journal of Nutrition, 106(S3), S1–S78. 10.1017/S0007114511005460 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types