Obesity rates spiked, but what else happened to our bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic?
A McMaster University study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that obesity rates increased at a faster rate during the COVID-19 pandemic than they did before April 2020. Young women aged 18-29 experienced the fastest increase at 9% over the the pandemic, compared to men in that age range at 6%. The cross-sectional, multi-decade study used the body mass index (BMI) scale to measure obesity, while also acknowledging the scale's limitations and inconsistencies. But beyond the numbers, what exactly happened to young women's bodies during a world-wide pandemic, and what does the BMI scale not show about how our bodies changed in a time of limited health resources and complete isolation. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Abbey Sharp, registered dietitian and host of the Bite Back podcast, to discuss the study's findings and what lies in between the numbers shown on the scale.
The Big Story · Maria Kestane, Abbey Sharp
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Show Notes
Abbey Sharp is a world-renowned Registered Dietitian (RD), content creator, award-winning author, TV personality, host of the podcast Bite Back, CEO of Abbey’s Kitchen Inc, and Co-Founder of Neue Theory. With over 2 million followers across social media, Abbey shares her core philosophy that a pleasurable relationship with food, your body and yourself is the fundamental secret to good health. She has made it her mission to dismantle diet culture, debunk nutrition misinformation online, and help people achieve food freedom for good. With her signature science and sass, Abbey Sharp is one of the world’s most trusted sources of nutrition information.
Listen to Bite Back here: https://www.seekyoursounds.com/podcasts/bite-back-with-abbey-sharp
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