‘I just can’t stop eating’

Clinical nutritionist warns of obesity pandemic post-COVID

AS THE coronavirus pandemic drags on, thousands of Jamaicans who have had to stay home from work and school are turning to their refrigerators and snack containers to pass the time.

One such person is Attea Stewart, a resident of Portmore who shared that although she worked out frequently at the gym, since most places have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she has not maintained her active lifestyle and junk food has become her best friend.

“Every minute of the hour I’m hungry now. I’ve been eating and eating. Mi big like outta door. The food that I bought to last for the month finished in one week, and the food budget I had for the year finished this month. Mentally, I think it’s just because the food is there why I just eat. Normally, I would consider my weight because I would say that I have to watch my figure to look good in my outfits, but now I don’t have anywhere to go. So now I eat when I’m bored, I eat when I’m hungry, I eat when I want to sleep, I eat when I’m happy, I just can’t stop eating,” Stewart said.

The client relationship officer said in preparation for Jamaica Carnival, she had lost 15 pounds, but since its postponement, she is rapidly gaining back the weight. However, according to her, she hopes to get back in shape as the months grow closer to the new date of carnival.

Carnival has been postponed to October due to the threat of the spread of the novel coronavirus. The road parade, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, April 19, has been moved to Sunday, October 25.

Clinical nutritionist Dr Claudia Campbell said she is extremely concerned that after COVID-19 has passed, the pandemic that will be on hand will be the level of obesity in Jamaica.

“If you look at the preliminary result from the healthy lifestyle 2017 survey, the obesity rate had actually increased, so you can just imagine what is going to happen. Persons are going to put on weight, there is no going around it because their movements are restricted. It is a new lifestyle, and to get used to that lifestyle, we tend to try to make ourselves comfortable and, unfortunately, one of the ways we try to make ourselves comfortable is through food,”

Dr Campbell said.

Additionally, the nutritionist shared that most persons at home are currently binge watching shows they might have missed out on, and with binge watching also comes binge snacking.

In a bid to curtail the weight gain, Dr Campbell said she is advising persons to continue sticking to the schedules they had constructed before the quarantine. She has also recommended that individuals cut down on their portion size and include more vegetables in their diet.

“There is another thing that they need to pay attention to, and it’s called meal quality. This simply has to do with focusing on nutrition, focusing on your macronutrients. Unfortunately, this stay-athome thing falls in the Easter period and you know Jamaicans and their bun and cheese. That’s something else we need to focus on, the quality of what we are having,” Dr Campbell shared.

Gym instructor and personal trainer Dwayne Stewart said he is also growing extremely worried that Jamaicans are not maintaining a healthy lifestyle while being stuck at home, and they are not privy to the health repercussions they are liable to face due to obesity.

“They are staying home and eating and are not doing any exercise. Because they are working at home, they are not doing a lot of walking either, because walking is a type of exercise as well. I want people to watch what they are eating because you need to eat properly in a time like this. They don’t have to do any hard exercises, just some cardio to maintain their weight or maybe even lose some.

“You do not want to stay home and get obese because that will have numerous health issues. I know people will eat because they are depressed or some will just eat because they are home and the food is there, but I am begging them to just keep active at home and watch what they eat,” Stewart said.

HOW TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AT HOME:

■ Take short active breaks throughout the day. This can be to walk, play with your children or performing domestic chores

■ Take advantage of workout videos on YouTube

■ Set a schedule and stick to it

■ Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy snacks and meals

■ Buy a lot of fruits and vegetables and store them in your freezer to last longer

■ Work out at least 30 minutes per day

■ Do meal prep for the entire week