If dealing with COVID-19 alone weren’t bad enough, now comes news that another longstanding “epidemic” in the U.S. has been made worse by the virus.
Obesity, particularly in children, has ballooned over the past year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of children who were obese jumped from 19% to 22%. And it wasn’t only obese kids who put on about twice as many pounds as expected. So did those who had been of a healthy weight prior to the pandemic.
The causes for the weight gain are obvious. Kids who were out of school got less exercise. Sports leagues at school and elsewhere shut down. Boredom and stress both stimulated overeating.
These extra pounds are doubly bad during this pandemic since they increase the risk factor of severe illness from COVID-19.
- The Greenwood Commonwealth
