Stay in it, limit contacts – the measures to prevent corona from spreading too quickly are already leaving their mark on the population.
Berlin – Staying in there, limiting contacts, home office – the measures to prevent corona from spreading too quickly are already leaving their mark on the population. 38 percent of adults in Germany move less because of this, 19 percent have already gained weight as a result of their changed habits.
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A lack of exercise in the corona crisis can cause great damage. (Icon image) © Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
This was the result of a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency. Accordingly, only 12 percent of those surveyed are on the move more than before, 8 percent have lost weight because of the corona measures.
Experts strongly warn of the possible consequences of weight gain and lack of exercise due to mobility restrictions.
“Lack of exercise not only favors the development of overweight, but also reduces physical fitness, coordination and mobility,” said Heidrun Thaiss, head of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), dpa.
“In addition, the psyche also suffers from a lack of movement.”
If the limit of a body mass index is exceeded over 25, the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular or joint diseases increases with increasing body fat. “The older a person is, the more difficult it is to lose weight in the medium term.”
But there are also positive consequences: Since corona there is more time for healthy meals in many families. And some people rediscover their own kitchen in the face of closed restaurants. Bread is baked itself, recipes from the Internet are booming. In the survey, only 13 percent of adults said they were eating less healthily. In return, 12 percent said to eat healthier in the wake of the corona crisis.
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12 percent of those questioned said that they were eating healthier in the wake of the corona crisis. (Icon image) © Dmitry Kalinovsky / 123RF
“Perhaps some people will now discover the hobby cook in themselves and try something out,” said nutritionist Uwe Knop recently. Another aspect is that phenomena such as the low-carb hype have declined. “All these health gurus and the nonsense about diets – this is a pure phenomenon of prosperity.”
During the crisis, Germans bought pasta and flour.
That more is eaten and nibbled than usual, for example because the way to the fridge in the home office is not far, hardly matters, at least according to the respondents of YouGov.
Only 15 percent said their food volume had increased, 11 percent even expected to eat less overall as a result of the corona lockdown.
However, there may be a little misjudgment at stake: According to the international confectionery trade association, the sale of confectionery rose during the corona crisis, and a double-digit increase was recorded in March.
The length of conversations with friends or relatives, which often took place at visits and other meetings before the measures began, has decreased significantly for many people. Almost a third of the respondents (31 percent) stated that they now spend less time – such as on the phone or with video calls – on such conversations.
However, almost a quarter (23 percent) thinks that they can now speak to friends and relatives for longer. The use of electronic devices has changed dramatically. 39 percent of those surveyed stated that they spent more free time with TV, PC, laptop, game console, smartphone and the like. Only 4 percent sit less in front of the screen in the course of Corona.
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