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Study finds average weight gains of 1.5 pounds a month during pandemic
As the days get longer and more of our community is opening up, a local physician is encouraging his patients to reverse the extra pounds they may have added over the past year of the pandemic. Simon Grinshteyn, M.D., FAPWHc, BC-ADM, a family medicine physician with Bayfront Health Medical Group, says it’s a great time to get back on track with healthy habits and shed that extra weight.
“A recent study by the University of California in 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,” says Grinshteyn. “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 25-30% or more of the adults in Florida 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,” adds Grinshteyn. “Being 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.”
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 physician can help you determine what course of action can support your health objectives.
If you need help finding a primary care physician, visit https://bit.ly/GetInQuicker to be connected with one of Bayfront Health Medical Group’s qualified family medicine or internal medicine providers.
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Bayfront Health Medical Group is accepting new patients and offers same-day, walk-in and telehealth visits. Visit https://bit.ly/GetInQuicker to schedule an appointment online, anytime.
Simon Grinshteyn, M.D., FAPWHc, BC-ADM, is board certified in both family medicine and advanced diabetes management, with additional certification in wound management and hyperbaric medicine. He provides preventive and diagnostic care for acute and chronic illnesses, with special interests in advanced diabetes care and hypertension management. His goal is to help patients achieve optimum health.
Fatin Albezargan, M.D., is board certified in family medicine. She enjoys all aspects of preventive care and the management of chronic diseases, helping your entire family achieve and maintain good health.
Luis Casanova, M.D., is a board certified internist that treats a wide range of illnesses and chronic diseases that most often affect adults and the elderly population.
Bayfront Health
2500 Harbor Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL 33952
Bayfront Health Accepts most Major Insurance Plans
Sources:
· Body Weight Changes During Pandemic-Related Shelter-in-Place in a Longitudinal Cohort Study, by Anthony l. Lin, MD; Eric Vittinghoff, PhD; Jeffrey E. Olgin, MD; et al; March 22, 2021, JAMA Network Open, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2777737
· CDC https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
· Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report; National Institutes of Health, 1998. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/guidelines/ob_gdlns.pdf
