One Year of COVID-19... The Great War Against Weight Gain Begins

32.7% of Adults 'Gained Weight'
Average Increase 5.8kg

Delivery Food is the 'Top Culprit'
Outdoor Activities Like Walking Difficult
Diet Control and Healthy Drinks Popular

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Office worker Kim Mo (32, female) is waging a "war against fat." Due to COVID-19, she gained 5 kg in just one year. Delivery food, which she used to order for dinner after work, played a leading role in her weight gain. Feeling a sense of crisis, she started dieting two weeks ago and has been ordering foods like salads and yogurt. Kim said, "Since the COVID-19 outbreak, I haven't been able to take my usual evening walks, so I think that's why I gained weight," adding, "I need to manage my weight, but since outdoor activities are difficult, I will reduce my weight through diet control."

As the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased consumption of delivery food and made outdoor activities difficult, more people are complaining about weight gain. According to a survey conducted by part-time job information company Albacoal on 981 adult men and women regarding weight changes after the COVID-19 outbreak, 32.7% answered that their weight "increased." The average weight gain since February last year was 5.8 kg. Those who experienced weight gain are naturally starting to manage it through dieting and other methods. Office worker Kim Seung-jun (31) said, "Due to lack of exercise, I have recently started taking time on weekends to hike nearby mountains or run in parks."

Kim Mo (27), who works at a cafe in Nowon-gu, Seoul, said, "Recently, many people are looking for drinks without sugar," adding, "The proportion of orders for traditional teas and health drinks is also increasing." On social networking services (SNS), monthly diet plans have also been posted. Those who posted their diets wrote, "To reduce delivery food consumption, I create diet plans and cook my own meals." There are also claims that minimum order amounts for delivery food have contributed to weight gain. Since most delivery orders require a minimum order amount exceeding 10,000 won, it is difficult to order just one serving, so some people inevitably order larger quantities.

On the 2nd, 11 domestic academic societies including the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, the Korean Endocrine Society, and the Korean Diabetes Association issued a public statement saying, "Several cross-sectional studies conducted after the COVID-19 pandemic have shown increases in childhood and adult obesity," and recommended, "Maintaining proper lifestyle habits and regularly checking health status to prevent and manage obesity and metabolic syndrome are important public health measures that should not be overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic."