One aspect of human life that seems stubbornly unchangeable is the close relationship between obesity and poverty. Also, in some countries, people from certain racial backgrounds tend to be more financially stressed, so minority status becomes an element of the equation. Of course, other factors might intervene too, like the COVID-19 pandemic, which was also inextricably linked to race, poverty, and obesity.
Describing the relationship between obesity and the pandemic, the authors of a scholarly paper specified these as the most common (but not only) forces tending to increase obesity during the period:
[…] sociodemographic factors, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyles, reduced sleep quality, increased technology utilization, harmful substance abuse, unhealthy food consumption, and psychological problems…
Since then, numerous studies in several countries have made a stab at reckoning the collective weight gain of their respective populations during those years. “Lingering” is a poetic word, but it loses all its charm when applied to the retroactive effects of a worldwide health crisis. The results are still with us, due to a chillingly basic fact: Once it moves into a child’s body, unpacks, redecorates, and arranges the furniture, obesity is a very difficult tenant to evict.
Full employment for math nerds
The globe currently supports a dismaying number of children and teens who, in an alternative universe timeline, would have weighed 70 pounds today but actually weigh 95, and equally impressive hordes of others who in that imaginary universe would have weighed 120, but actually clock in at 145.
If they haven’t already done so, creative statisticians could make a pretty close guess regarding the total amount of weight collectively gained by humans in various demographic categories. We can only hope they will also devote significant energy to figuring out how to reverse the trend.
Hot off the presses
A brand new cross-sectional, multi-site study of Long COVID (also known as LC) shows that it prefers to strike obese rather than healthy-weight individuals. Whether or not their disease lasts for an abnormal length of time, obese patients “tend to suffer worse physical and mental health outcomes.” Many in the medical field are convinced that there will be another pandemic, and are eager to prepare, but are not finding the backup this would require from governmental and other institutions.
The eternal two-way street
Even five years ago, an association was being noticed between the pandemic and the amount of obesity, and since then, there has been plenty of opportunity for researchers to make meaningful connections. About 70% of Americans were overweight or obese then, and the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Donald Hensrud told the press,
During the pandemic, fitness centers have been shut down, our activity may be decreasing, or we may be working from home and not moving as much. In addition, our diet has changed. We may be eating more comfort food or eating what happens to be around the house rather than getting something that is healthier.
Poverty and/or obesity led to more COVID-19 cases, which then contributed to more obesity, which was difficult for families to manage. Massive disruption of the national economy forced many working parents to change jobs, work fewer hours, pay more for child care, or in some other way have their financial situation negatively impacted. When life becomes chaotic, there is not only less money to spend, but people get careless and neglect little details like making an effort to “eat healthy.”
An article by Jeff Krasno, published only a few days ago, noted that COVID-19 has been listed as the cause of death for more than 1.2 million Americans, but there are solid reasons to believe that number should really be much higher. He adds,
Obesity, vaccination, and COVID mortality are not independent variables. They’re downstream of deeper forces, including long-standing health behaviors, trust in institutions, access to healthcare, socioeconomic stress, political identity, and media ecosystems…
How did a wealthy nation with extraordinary medical resources end up in such a sorry state?
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on obesity and its risk factors: a systematic review,” NIH.gov, May 2023
Source: “Obesity and Long COVID: intersecting epidemics?,” Springer.com, 01/22/26
Source: “How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted issues of obesity,” MayoClinic.org, 01/19/21
Source: “The Political Fault Line: Politics, Obesity, & COVID,” Substack.com, 01/24/26
Image by jarmoluk/Pixabay
FAQs and Media Requests: 
