Obesity, the silent killer at play during lockdown

30th July 2021

Lockdown during this pandemic has introduced sedentary habits. As a result of personal restrictions, sedentary lifestyles, alcohol consumption and substance abuse increased. These new regime increased the risk of death from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases(CVD) , which are the leading cause of the global mortality rate . Along with the rising rate of risk factors of CVDs there is also a surge in the number of non-communicable diseases (NCD)- related mortality rate.

How might unhealthy habits effect our health?

Average self-reported weight gain (kg) associated with unhealthy diet and lifestyle behaviors during lockdown in the UK

The lack of physical activities, unhealthy food habits along with disturbed sleep cycle made this lockdown a heaven for obesity and related diseases. Obesity can contribute to heart diseases in three ways.

It is known fact that obesity can cause a spike in bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but it also can lower high-density lipoproteins (HDL) i.e. good cholesterol. HDL cholesterol plays an important part in removing the bad cholesterol and working towards reducing the risk for heart diseases.

Obese individuals require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies, which causes an increase in blood pressure. Their body also requires more pressure to move the blood around. High blood pressure is a common cause of heart-attack, which is sadly more common for obese individuals.

Obesity leads to diabetes, which is one of the major indicator of heart diseases. According to the American Heart Association, at least 68 percent of people aged 65 or older with diabetes also have heart disease. While individuals with diabetes are said to be two to four times more likely to be at risk for heart disease, the American Heart Association also lists diabetes as being one of the top seven major controllable factors to prevent heart disease.

Fortunately there are some measure you can take to lose weight and reduce the risk of developing heart diseases. This process towards better health goes through regular exercises and balanced nutritious diet.

One should consult their doctors about creating an appropriate diet and exercise plan.

Association between body mass index (BMI) of the participants and weight gain during the quarantine (%). * p < 0.05 compared with normal BMI (z test with Bonferroni correction).