Americans struggle with obesity in the post-pandemic era

The pandemic shed light upon how too many Americans conveniently fell back onto their couches — many failing to return to the gym and a healthy eating routine.

Compared to pre-pandemic times, more Americans are suffering from poor physical and mental health, according to a recent Gallup survey.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 38.4 percent of American adults were obese (according to self-reported height and weight) in 2022 — up 6 points from 32.4 percent in 2019.
• Those aged 45 to 64 reported the biggest increase in obesity rates — up 8.2 percent from 2019.
• The respondents also experienced a fall in productivity and perceived physical appearance.

While the survey focuses on adults, American youth also struggle with poor health — with an estimated 19.7 percent of American children and teenagers aged 2-19 being obese.

CATCH UP QUICK

COVID-19 and obesity had a bidirectional relationship, with obesity also worsening the outcome of coronavirus infection.

• The pandemic altered people’s eating patterns and reduced physical activity, becoming a major driver of obesity.
• American adults suffered from increased sedentary behavior, stress, and job troubles — all of which led to diminished eating habits.

Differing opinions attribute the obesity epidemic to the growing popularity of ultra-processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, or a result of biochemical interference — but most agree that it has become a societal challenge.

VIEWPOINTS

The Gallup survey estimates obesity using self-reported body mass index (BMI) metrics — a surrogate measure that has caused historical harm.

• “We vastly underestimate the prevalence of obesity using BMI and there are many people with normal BMI who still have obesity,” Dr. Aayush Visaria told NBC.
• The American Medical Association adopted a new policy earlier this year that advised that BMI be used in conjunction with other body fat measurements.

WHAT’S NEXT

As a direct consequence of rising obesity rates, pharmaceutical companies are capitalizing on the explosive demand for new diabetes and weight loss drugs.

• These GLP-1 drugs are highly effective in weight reduction, new data shows that people who stopped taking them quickly regained a portion of the weight lost.
• Despite high price tags and apparent side effects, anti-obesity drugs have soared in popularity — expected to be a $100 billion-plus market by 2030.

“The health effects have practical implications for the U.S. economy… [leading to] greatly enhanced levels of unplanned absenteeism and healthcare utilization (and associated costs),” the report concludes.