Pandemic Pounds Health Impact
5/25/2021
Local Physician Encourages Healthy Loss of Pandemic Pounds - Study finds average weight gains of 1.5 pounds a month during pandemic
MOBERLY, Mo., May 25, 2021 – As the days get longer and more of our community is opening up, a local physician is encouraging her/his patients to reverse the extra pounds they may have added over the past year of the pandemic. Dr. Heather Gessling, a primary care provider with Moberly Rural Health Clinic, says it’s a great time to get back on track with healthy habits and shed that extra weight.
“It is very common for people to gain weight during times like we’ve recently experienced,” Gessling said. “You can, however, improve your long term health by getting the weight back off and improving your BMI.”
A recent study by the University of California, San Francisco confirmed what many of our scales and wardrobes have already shown us – lower activity levels and increased snacking and overeating have added up, and not for the better. The study found significant increases in weight of roughly a pound and a half gained per month following the shelter in place orders of last spring.
Even before the pandemic, CDC data from 2017-2018 showed that 30-35% or more of the adults in Missouri had obesity. Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher.
Extra pounds can increase your risk for many serious diseases and health conditions that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Overweight can lead to high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, many types of cancer and other concerns.
“Although each person’s situation should be reviewed to establish a healthy plan for weight loss, having a more active lifestyle and focusing on a healthy diet is a great place to start,” Gessling said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, strategies for weight loss and weight maintenance include dietary changes, physical activity, behavior therapy, pharmacotherapy and surgery. Your primary care provider can help you determine what course of action can support your health objectives.
Dr. Gessling and the other Moberly Rural Health Clinic providers have put a number of precautions in place to ensure a safe environment for your appointment. Telehealth appointments are also available with some providers. If you need help finding a primary care provider, call (660) 263-9590 or visit www.moberlyphysicians.com to be connected with one of Moberly Rural Health Clinic’s qualified family medicine providers.
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