chapter 2 - the article

“Health experts warn that the current quarantine restrictions will lead to a worsening of society’s weight problem. They claim that there are multiple factors that will most likely increase the average weight of populations permanently. These include, but are not limited to:


• Eating for comfort or out of boredom. It has long been well known that humans have a tendency to cope with stress or boredom by eating excessively. People are being confined to their homes where food is readily available at all times, which will tempt many into engaging in these behaviours more frequently.


• Restrictions leading to more sedentary lifestyles. Not only are gyms closed, but many are reluctant to leave their houses even though they are allowed time outside to exercise. People are breaking their habits of regular exercise that they will have to actively work to reform in the future; this in addition to the loss of incidental exercise means that weight gain is almost inevitable. Furthermore, hefty weight gains are also set to continue long after returning to ‘normal life’.


• Stress hormones. Research evidence clearly demonstrates that the release of the hormone cortisol in response to stress primes the body in a way that augments weight gain. Even the stress of a change in lifestyle would induce this physiological response, and that is without considering the uncertainty of the situation.


• The impression of food scarcity. Grocery stores have been selling out of products that many consider basic or essential items, which may subconsciously drive people to eat more than they normally would. The increased food consumption could be barely noticeable, but lead to an accumulation of excess weight over the extended time period.


Many well renowned medical professions have spoken out to agree with the above, and emphasise that a combination of the points discussed above will compound these issues further, having a significantly more potent effect on our already exploding waistlines.

Already, the validity of these concerns have manifested in many taking to social media to lament or even joke about their weight gains thus far. There has also been an upsurge in social media influencers publicly urging their followers to accept the inevitability of gaining weight in these times, coining the term ‘quarantine15’, and committing to keep loving their bodies, even if they may look and feel a little bit different.”