Pandemic Weight Gain, No Kidding

The latest BIG pandemic news was just released that leaves me asking why this is news. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, most Americans have suffered unintended weight changes during the Pandemic. 42% of study participants say that they have gained on average 29 pounds, and 10% gained more than 50 pounds. And then there are those 9% who have lost weight. Not me.

I guess I’m not really surprised by the results of this study because stress can be very damaging to our health, and pandemic lockdowns have been a major source of stress. What’s surprising to me is just how much weight gain study participants have reported. Is it the new habits like bread baking and tv streaming all night long that have led to that extra poundage? Is it the shut down of gyms and parks which has prevented the population from exercising to burn calories and relieve stress? Are we just shoveling food into our mouths constantly to bury the stress and anxiety over this pandemic?

Or is this study entirely wrong? I put on a few pounds over the winter, but I think the February freeze and snow share the blame with the pandemic. The numbers in this study have me scratching my head. Could this study and its participants be wrong? Or is stress even more lethal than we could have imagined?

What do you think? Does your experience and that of people you know bear this out? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

In the meantime, I’m going to grab another Girl Scout Cookie – those 9 boxes aren’t going to eat themselves.