40% of adults put on half a stone during the pandemic, survey finds
Unhealthy eating habits were the main reason behind the weight gain
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.More than 40 per cent of adults in England put on an average of half a stone in weight during the pandemic, a new survey from Public Health England (PHE) has found.
The study, which surveyed 5,000 adults on changes in their weight since the first lockdown in March 2020, found that 21 per cent of people who had gained weight put on a stone or more.
On average, those aged between 35 to 65 gained 4.6kg, which is just over half a stone. Most respondents said unhealthy eating habits, like snacking and comfort eating, were the main reasons behind their weight gain.
The survey was commissioned as part of PHE’s new Better Health campaign, which offers a 12-week plan to help adults lose excess weight and adopt a more active lifestyle.
Earlier this month, research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that there was a “large increase in calories from takeaways” during the last year, peaking at more than double the usual levels in the second national lockdown in November 2020.
In April, Just Eat reported that it received 79 per cent more orders between January and March this year, compared with the same period in 2020. In the UK alone, the number of orders increased by 96 per cent to 64 million.
During all three national lockdowns, people were permitted to go outdoors to exercise once a day, but gyms and other sporting venues were closed.
Findings from Sport England show that activity levels were at their lowest during the first lockdown when the number of adults doing more than 30 minutes of exercise a week fell by 7.1 per cent, which amounts to roughly 3 million people.
PHE said that those who have already used its 12-week weight loss plan have reported an average loss of 5.8kg.
“The past sixteen months have caused many to change their habits, so it is not a surprise to see so many people reporting weight gain,” Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE said.
“We know how hard it can be to lose weight and keep it off – so, we are providing a range of support options to help motivate people and help them maintain a healthy weight. It’s never too late to make changes to help improve your health.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments