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Longitudinal Weight Gain and Related Risk Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Adults in the US.
Bhutani, S, vanDellen, MR, Cooper, JA
Nutrients. 2021;13(2)
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The Covid-19 pandemic has altered health behaviours of many individuals resulting in weight gain. This cross-sectional study of 1779 individuals aimed to determine the long-term impact of Covid-19 on health behaviours and weight gain over 5 months. The results showed that most participants (40%) body weight increased alongside increased processed food intake and snacking. 33% of the individuals who gained weight continued to gain weight and 28% maintained their higher weight after lockdown measures were lifted. Take-away meals, processed food intake and stress levels remained high post-lockdown in those who gained weight. It was concluded that lockdown measures may have impacted daily life resulting in weight gain which may perpetuate long-term. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand that lockdown measures may have altered eating behaviours resulting in weight gain and that these may need to be uncovered to aid long-term weight loss.
Abstract
Cross-sectional analyses have shown increased obesogenic behaviors and a potential for weight gain during COVID-19 related peak-lockdown (March-May 2020), but longitudinal data are lacking. This study assessed longitudinal changes in body weight and lifestyle behaviors in the US adults during the pandemic. METHODS We used Qualtrics survey to collect self-reported data on body weight, dietary, physical activity, and psychological variables (n = 727) during the peak-lockdown (April/May) and at post-lockdown (September/October). Peak-lockdown weight data were categorized based on the magnitude of weight gained, maintained, or lost, and behavioral differences were examined between categories at two time points. RESULTS Body weight increased (+0.62 kg; p < 0.05) at the post-lockdown period. The body mass index also increased (26.38 ± 5.98 kg/m2 vs. 26.12 ± 5.81 kg/m2; p < 0.01) at the post-lockdown period vs. peak-lockdown period. Close to 40% of participants reported gaining either 1-4 lbs or >5 lbs of body weight during the peak-lockdown, while 18.2% lost weight. Weight-gainers engaged in riskier dietary behaviors such as frequent ultra-processed food intake (p < 0.01) and snacking (p < 0.001), were less active, and reported high stress and less craving control during peak-lockdown. Of those gaining >5 lbs, 33% continued to gain weight after the lockdown eased, while 28% maintain higher body weight. In weight-gainers, takeout meal frequency increased, and high ultra-processed food intake and stress, and low craving control continued to persist after the lockdown eased. CONCLUSION We show that the COVID-19 lockdown periods disrupted weight management among many Americans and that associated health effects are likely to persist.
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An exercise-based educational and motivational intervention after surgery can improve behaviors, physical fitness and quality of life in bariatric patients.
Gallé, F, Marte, G, Cirella, A, Di Dio, M, Miele, A, Ricchiuti, R, Liguori, F, Maida, P, Liguori, G
PloS one. 2020;15(10):e0241336
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Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective method of weight loss for individuals with obesity. However sustained weight loss after surgery can be hindered by unhealthy behaviours that have sustained since before the procedure. Motivational, educational, diet and exercise programmes have been shown to help sustain weight loss following surgery. This non-randomised control trial over 12 months, aimed to assess the effects of a motivational, educational diet and exercise programme on fitness and quality of life in 82 individuals following bariatric surgery. The results showed that a diet and exercise programme improved quality of life and fitness. There was an increased daily intake of fruits and vegetables, eating behaviours were improved and there was a greater weight loss in those following the programme. It was concluded that the diet and exercise programme was responsible for behavioural changes that ensured better quality of life and sustained weight loss following surgery. Health care professionals could use this study to understand the need to recommend motivational and educationally based diet and exercise programme to patients following bariatric surgery.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Unhealthy lifestyles may hinder bariatric surgery outcomes. This non-randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effects of an integrated post-operative exercise-based educational and motivational program in improving behaviors, quality of life, anthropometric features, cardiorespiratory and physical fitness in bariatric patients respect to the only surgical intervention. METHODS A group of adult sedentary bariatric patients chose to attend a 12-month exercise program integrated with diet education and motivational support, or to receive usual care. Dietary habits, binge eating disorder, physical activity, obesity-related quality of life, Body Mass Index, waist and hip circumference, VO2max, strength and flexibility were assessed at the start and at the end of the study in both groups. RESULTS On a total of 82 patients enrolled, follow-up measures were obtained from 28 (85.7% females, mean age 38.2±8.7) and 42 (71.4% females, mean age 40.2±9.5) patients included in the intervention and control group, respectively. All the behavioral and physical outcomes improved significantly in the participants to the intervention, while the control group showed lesser changes, especially regarding quality of life and physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS Notwithstanding the self-selection, these results suggest that a timely postoperative behavioral multidisciplinary program for bariatric patients may be effective in establishing healthy behaviors which can lead to better surgery outcomes.
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Health Effects of 12 Weeks of Team-Sport Training and Fitness Training in a Community Health Centre for Sedentary Men with Lifestyle Diseases.
Møller, TK, Nielsen, TT, Andersen, R, Lundager, I, Hansen, HF, Ottesen, L, Krustrup, P, Randers, MB
BioMed research international. 2018;2018:1571807
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Physical activity helps to prevent and manage chronic disease, particularly in the aging population. Existing research shows physical activity programmes improve physical capacity and body composition, however participants report difficulty maintaining their training habits once the intervention is finished. The aim of this study was to produce a pragmatic, real-life setup to compare the health effects of team-sport activities with traditional fitness training among men with lifestyle disease in the community health centre context. This study took place over two years. During the first year, 32 men participated in the traditional fitness training to obtain baseline effects. For the second year, all training sessions were replaced with team-sport training and 36 men participated. This study found that team-sport activities produced comparable effects on various health parameters to the traditional fitness-training programme. Based on these results, the authors conclude that team sport activities are a worthy alternative to fitness training in community health centres.
Abstract
This study compares the effects of team-sport training, for sedentary men with lifestyle diseases, with fitness training in a pragmatic set-up in a community health centre (CHC). Thirty-two men in the fitness group (FiG) and 36 men in the team-sport group (TsG) completed the training and trained for 60-90 min, two times/week for 12-16 weeks. In FiG and TsG, mean heart rate (HR) during training was 73.2% and 74.5% of HRmax, respectively. Percentage of training time above 90%HRmax was 6 ± 9% and 10 ± 15% and the percentage of participants who spent > 10% of total training time with HR > 90%HRmax was 20% and 41%, in FiG and TsG, respectively. In FiG, total fat mass was reduced by 3.5% (P < 0.01), while performance in the 6 min walking test (6MWT) increased by 11% (P < 0.001). In TsG, total fat mass was reduced by 2.2% (P < 0.01), while 6MWT performance improved by 5% (P < 0.05). Between-group differences were observed for systolic BP (P = 0.041) and mean arterial pressure (P = 0.050) in favour of TsG and for sit-to-stand test (P = 0.031) in favour of FiG. In conclusion, small-sided team sport is a worthy alternative to fitness training since the overall health effects are comparable, for example, improved balance and reduced fat mass. Team sport elicits high heart rates and improves cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure, while fitness training improves sit-to-stand test performance related to activity of daily living.
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Dietary Intake after Weight Loss and the Risk of Weight Regain: Macronutrient Composition and Inflammatory Properties of the Diet.
Muhammad, HFL, Vink, RG, Roumans, NJT, Arkenbosch, LAJ, Mariman, EC, van Baak, MA
Nutrients. 2017;9(11)
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In 2015, 107.7 million children and 603.7 million adults worldwide were obese. Effective actions to prevent the increasing rate of obesity and to treat those who are already obese are required. The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of macronutrients composition and inflammatory properties of the diet on weight regain during a weight maintenance period after weight loss of overweight and obese individuals. The study enrolled 57 Caucasian adult participants (27 males and 30 females) who had a body mass index more than 28kg/m2. The dietary intervention program consisted of three periods i.e. weight loss period, weight stable period and follow-up period. The study shows that the macronutrient composition of the weight maintenance diet was not associated with weight regain. However, the dietary inflammatory index was positively correlated with weight regain. In fact, intake of micronutrients with anti-inflammatory properties was found to be negatively correlated with weight regain. Authors conclude that the inflammatory properties of the diet during the weight maintenance period play a role in weight regain after a diet-induced weight loss program in overweight and obese adults.
Abstract
Weight regain after successful weight loss is a big problem in obesity management. This study aimed to investigate whether weight regain after a weight loss period is correlated with the macronutrient composition and/or the inflammatory index of the diet during that period. Sixty one overweight and obese adults participated in this experimental study. Subjects lost approximately 10% of their initial weight by means of very low-calorie diet for five weeks, or a low calorie diet for 12 weeks. After that, subjects in both groups followed a strict weight maintenance diet based on individual needs for four weeks, which was followed by a nine-month weight maintenance period without dietary counseling. Anthropometrics and dietary intake data were recorded before weight loss (baseline) and during the weight maintenance period. On average, participants regained approximately half of their lost weight. We found no evidence that macronutrient composition during the weight maintenance period was associated with weight regain. The dietary inflammatory index (r = 0.304, p = 0.032) was positively correlated with weight regain and remained significant after correction for physical activity (r = 0.287, p = 0.045). Our data suggest that the inflammatory properties of diet play a role in weight regain after weight loss in overweight and obese adults.