Systematic review of the effects of pandemic confinements on body weight and their determinants

Pandemics and subsequent lifestyle restrictions such as 'lockdowns' may have unintended consequences, including alterations in body weight. This systematic review assesses the impact of pandemic confinement on body weight and identifies contributory factors. A comprehensive literature search was performed in seven electronic databases and in grey sources from their inception until 1 July 2020 with an update in PubMed and Scopus on 1 February 2021. In total, 2361 unique records were retrieved, of which forty-one studies were identified eligible: one case-control study, fourteen cohort and twenty-six cross-sectional studies (469, 362 total participants). The participants ranged in age from 6 to 86 years. The proportion of female participants ranged from 37 % to 100 %. Pandemic confinements were associated with weight gain in 7.2-724 % of participants and weight loss in 11.1-32.0 % of participants. Weight gain ranged from 0.6 (SD 1.3) to 3.0 (SD 2.4) kg, and weight loss ranged from 2.0 (SD 1.4) to 2.9 (SD 1.5) kg. Weight gain occurred predominantly in participants who were already overweight or obese. Associated factors included increased consumption of unhealthy food with changes in physical activity and altered sleep patterns. Weight loss during the pandemic was observed in individuals with previous low weight, and those who ate less and were more physically active before lockdown. Maintaining a stable weight was more difficult in populations with reduced income, particularly in individuals with lower educational attainment. The findings of this systematic review highlight the short-term effects of pandemic confinements.

Automated summary

This systematic review evaluates the impact of pandemic confinement on body weight and finds that weight gain and weight loss were observed during the pandemic. Weight gain was more common among individuals who were already overweight or obese, while weight loss was observed in individuals with previous low weight. Factors such as changes in diet, physical activity, and sleep patterns were associated with these changes in body weight. Individuals with reduced income, particularly those with lower educational attainment, faced greater challenges in maintaining a stable weight.