Experts fear COVID-19 weight gain could lead to health complications, weak immune systems

Battling the 'Quarantine 15': Experts fear COVID-19 weight gain could lead to health complications, weak immune systems A few months into the coronavirus pandemic, in July, Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a preventative cardiologist and the owner of Step One foods, saw a longtime patient: a 70-year-old man who showed up to the appointment 18 pounds heavier than he was on his last visit. Dietitians and doctors, like Klodas, have YahooNews

A few months into the coronavirus pandemic, in July, Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a preventative cardiologist and the owner of Step One foods, saw a longtime patient: a 70-year-old man who showed up to the appointment 18 pounds heavier than he was on his last visit. He told her, "I have gained the 'COVID 19.'"

The phrases "COVID 19" and "Quarantine 15" (like the common phrase "Freshman 15") refer to a societal acceptance of weight gain during the pandemic. Dietitians and doctors, like Klodas, have noticed the trend and have begun to fear that the rate of obesity and its associated chronic health conditions will continue to rise, worsening the already established public health crisis in America.

"There needs to be a massive public health initiative to educate people about the need for improved nutrition in the midst of the pandemic," said Dr. Mark Hyman, a New York Times bestselling author and the head of strategy and innovation at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. "I think that this is such a critical moment and it's central for us to double down on our nutritional quality in our diet, people are completely neglectful that it is a way of preventing COVID-19."

A published peer-reviewed study showed the changes in dietary habits during the pandemic. Since March, there have been increased purchases of processed shelf-stable foods, calorie-dense comfort foods, alcohol and takeout orders. In addition, the authors of the study used Google Trends data that showed increases in searches for restaurants and baking, with a decline in searches for "healthy eating," which typically rise after the holiday season.

"I think the habits that we're seeing people adopt as a society [create] the perfect equation for long-term health consequences," said Brigid Titgemeier, a functional medicine dietitian and the founder of beingbrigid.com, a nutrition website.  ...