Why half of us need to diet as lockdown lifts
HALF of Britons have eaten more and put on weight during lockdown, research has found.
Chocolate and biscuits were revealed as the nation’s goto snack, while almost a third are drinking more alcohol.
Meanwhile, 42 per cent said disruption to their daily routine had led to weight gain.
But the survey by Weight Watchers also found people had good intentions when it came to adopting healthier habits as lockdown eases.
Some 46 per cent vowed to start exercising more regularly and 45 per cent wanted to lose weight when the rules are relaxed. Despite the popularity of Joe Wicks’s home workouts and YouTube yoga, the majority of people said they had exercised less and 46 per cent claimed to be less active since they began working from home.
Mental health and wellbeing has also taken a hit for many during lockdown, with one in four adults saying they had developed a more negative self-image.
More than half of women were feeling more anxious, while 18 to 24-year- olds were the most likely to feel bored. Psychologist Honey Langcaster- James said it was unsurprising lockdown had led to overeating and other unhealthy habits. She said: ‘There are so many studies that show clear links between aspects of our physical health and wellbeing and our mental and emotional health.
‘Stress, anxiety, loneliness and financial concerns can all lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can reduce mood and overall psychological functioning. Social distancing has led many of us to become quite inactive and even sedentary.’
But she added that she was ‘delighted’ many people ‘recognise they’ve not been engaging in healthy behaviours’.
British women have spent half as much money as usual on new clothes since lockdown began, a study shows.
And more than six million women have not bought anything new to wear in the last three months – compared with the pre-coronavirus average of eight new purchases a month.
In the study, by Oxfam, 58 per cent of the 2,000 women surveyed spent less on clothes since lockdown began, meaning the national average fell by more than £30 to £71 a month.
The main reasons for buying fewer garments were having nowhere to wear them and having less money to spare.
‘Unhealthy behaviours’