Quarantine Weight Gain: 35.82% Gained Weight During Pandemic [19,903 Person Study]

In previous research, we found that the lockdown led to people exercising more than they were prior to the pandemic. Additionally, we have found that nearly 70% of gym members haven’t gone back to their gyms, nor do they plan to anytime soon. 

All along, conversations regarding the “Quarantine 15” and weight gain during the pandemic have been ongoing. In order to learn just how this pandemic has impacted people’s weight around the world, we surveyed 19,903 people from 140 countries.

Key Findings

• Globally, 35.82% of people reported they gained weight during the pandemic
• Of those that gained weight, 71.25% gained more than 5lbs. 
• The United States had the highest percentage of people gain weight (40.52%) during the pandemic 
• The UK had the most respondents managing to lose weight (40.54%) during this pandemic, while the US had the least (27.71%). 
• In comparison to men, women were 14.17% more likely to gain weight and 16.82% less likely to lose weight.

If interested in interviews or additional findings, please reach out to Nick Rizzo at nick@runrepeat.com, otherwise, feel free to use these findings freely, we just ask that you reference this study with a link back to this post.

Quarantine weight gain: how many people gained weight during the pandemic?

Of the 19,903 people surveyed, 35.82% reported that they had gained weight during the pandemic. 

71.25% of those that reported gaining weight had gained 5 or more pounds.

 

 

The United States had the largest percentage of respondents report gaining weight overall (40.52%) as well as the most who gained over 5lbs (28.69%). 

The UK and Canada fared best, with only 31.01% and 30.48% of respondents saying they gained weight respectively. 

How many people are losing weight during quarantine?

40.54% of respondents from the UK reported losing weight, the most of any country. 

 

 

The UK and Canada are also the only countries that had more respondents report having lost weight than having gained. 

While the United States had the lowest amount of reported weight loss, with only 27.71% managing to lose weight during the pandemic. 

Differences in weight gain during quarantine by gender 

Globally, women were 14.17% more likely to gain weight than men during the pandemic.

 

 

This difference between men and women was the most dramatic in the United States; women from the US were 19.02% more likely to gain weight than men.

Differences in weight loss during quarantine by gender 

Fewer women reported losing weight than men as well. Overall, women were 16.82% less likely to lose weight than men. 

 

 

The difference between men and women is the largest in the US, with women being 20.89% less likely to have lost weight in comparison to men. 

Differences in weight gain and weight loss by state

The differences in weight gain by state ranged from as low as 29.95% to as high as 41.57%. 

 

 

New York was both the state that had the most people report gaining weight overall (41.57%) as well as the state with the highest percentage of people reporting they gained more than 5 lbs (31.43%). 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tennessee had the least people report gaining weight during the pandemic (29.95%) and the least amount of people reporting gaining more than 5lbs (20.29%).

The difference in the percentage of people reporting they lost weight by state ranged from as low as 28.00% to as high as 35.67%. 

 

 

North Carolina had the most people manage to lose weight during the pandemic (35.67%) while Arizona had the least (28.00%). 

Conclusion

Those that experienced the most weight gain during the pandemic are females, from the United States, and more specifically, New York, New Jersey, California and Texas. 

In comparison, those that experienced the most weight loss were males, from the United Kingdom, and from the states North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, and Illinois. 

About RunRepeat

At RunRepeat, we strive to be the best online shoe store for all your athletic needs. By using our CoreScore algorithm we are able to rank each and every shoe. 

No matter your need, RunRepeat helps you find it, whether you need the best daily running shoes for bigger guys, running shoes with removable insoles, or even the newest trail running shoes, we have each shoe ranked and the best price compared from over 213 retailers.