A sometimes overlooked consequence of covid-19 is the adverse effect it has on healthy eating patterns.
Global lockdowns and reduced movement mean that people stay at home more. The result is easier access to food and eating more together with reduced exercise routines is associated with increased obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
The temptation to eat more in 2020 comes from a combination of factors, which include, boredom, anxiety and easy access to food. A recent study from East Germany and Belgium also highlighted a tendency to consume more convenience food or to include convenience food with main meals. Other calorie increasing culprits included the significant increase in alcohol and sweet consumption. Interestingly the study also found that people ate less fruit and vegetables.
It is clear that along with the vaccinations we will need to do spring cleaning on our eating habits both now and post-covid.
The World Obesity Atlas published in March 2021, places increased body weight as the second greatest predictor of hospitalisation and a high risk of death for people suffering from covid-19. The only higher risk factor is old age.
Obesity is a disease in its own right, and is responsible for a wide range of non-communicable diseases. A less well known is that obesity also makes us susceptible to infectious diseases. Covid-19 has created a stark realisation that in countries where less than half the adult population are overweight death by the coronavirus remains low – ie only about a 10% the level seen in countries where more than 50% are classified as overweight.
In fact, www.worldobesity.org, published that of the 2.5 million covid-19 deaths reported at the end of February 2021, 2.2 million were in countries where half the population is classified as overweight.
https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/COVID-19-and-Obesity-The-2021-Atlas.pdf
If nothing else this is a clear message to revisit our attitude towards empty calories and inactivity. But for a great many people breaking old habits and starting new ones is difficult.
A study published in 2018, has shown that using hypnosis regularly is associated with weight loss, reduced inflammation and a significantly better quality of life too.
Michelle Hague, will address the role of mood, food and covid-19 in her opening talk at the International Virtual Conference in Clinical Hypnotherapy on the 5-6th June 2021. Michelle Hague, is the Vice President, British Society of Clinical Hypnosis and has adapted her practice to help clients to cope with eating behaviours through teletherapy.
Participants will discover that hypnosis has nothing to do with being unconscious or having their mind controlled. In fact, clinical hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation that creates openness to trying new ideas. In fact, during the hypnotherapy session, it is easier to break attachments to old unhealthy behaviours and form new habits making it useful for anyone wanting to lose weight.