Covid lockdown adds to UK’s 'obesity problem'

Downing Street plans to implement total ban on online junk food advertising to increase health of nation

One in every four British adults is obese, while one in every five children aged 10 to 11in the UK are very overweight, according to NHS data. Yvonne Berg for The National)

Hundreds of thousands of people have put on weight during the coronavirus lockdown, a new poll indicates, despite a British government drive to cut down national obesity.

Almost 450,000 users of the Covid Symptom Study app increased their weight during lockdown, accounting for 29 per cent of those taking part in the study.

Prof Tim Spector, a lead researcher who helped to set up the app, said UK’s obesity problem had been worsened by strict lockdown.

Of 1.6 million people who responded to a questionnaire about behavioural changes during lockdown, 34 per cent decreased their exercise and 35 per cent said they had increased snacking.

Nineteen per cent were eating less healthily than before and 27 per cent were drinking more alcohol.

On average, the survey found that people were 0.78 kilograms heavier since the outbreak began.

Britain first went into strict lockdown in mid-March, before easing measures from late May.

On November 2, it returned to lockdown for at least a month after coronavirus cases soared.

The public are advised to stay at home except for exercise, medical reasons or shopping for essential goods.

Recent studies have shown that being overweight can dramatically increase the risk of admission to hospital and death due to Covid-19.

“Typically people snack to or three times a day and this accounts for 22 per cent of total energy intake," said Sarah Berry, associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London.

Dr Berry is also the principal scientist advising Zoe, the healthcare company behind the app.

“The increase in snacking during lockdown, especially with unhealthy, highly processed foods is likely to be a contributing factor in our observed weight gain of the UK population,” she said.

“Replacing unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks and limiting late-night snacking, is a simple dietary strategy to improve health.

"But we shouldn’t use these findings to shame people about their weight, especially during these difficult times.

"Instead, we should focus our efforts to help everyone lead healthy lifestyles that are sustainable.”

Prof Spector said it was important the British public understood the effects that lockdown might have on their long-term health.

“If we don’t act now, this will create even more heart disease, diabetes and cancer, leading to even larger medical and social bills for the country,” he said.

The government plans to introduce a total ban on online junk food advertising, but Prof Spector said that “isn’t going nearly far enough”.

“We need tougher measures like extending sugar taxes to junk food and subsidising fresh fruit and vegetables," he said.

"With these and much better public education, we have the opportunity to have a real impact on health in the UK.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has blamed his own obesity for his near brush with death, when he contracted Covid-19 in April.

In July, he formally launched his government's initiative to reduce obesity levels.

One in every four British adults is obese, while one in every five children aged 10 to 11 in the UK are very overweight, National Health Service data shows.