key: cord-321718-nzxvbj8b authors: Khan, Moien AB.; Moverley Smith, Jane Elizabeth title: “Covibesity,” a new pandemic date: 2020-07-21 journal: Obes Med DOI: 10.1016/j.obmed.2020.100282 sha: doc_id: 321718 cord_uid: nzxvbj8b The COVID-19 lockdown produced behavioral, psychosocial and environmental changes which, through a variety of mechanisms, has led to widespread rapid weight gain amongst certain populations worldwide. We have termed this phenomenon ‘covibesity’. There has been an increase in food shopping, food take ways and increase in alcohol sales. Furthermore, the combination of working from home, on-line education and social media usage have all caused screen time to surge. The food industry has intensified on-line advertising focused on children. A swift response is needed from all stakeholders to prevent covibesity becoming a pandemic. The COVID-19 lockdown produced behavioral, psychosocial and environmental changes 31 which, through a variety of mechanisms, has led to widespread rapid weight gain 32 amongst certain populations worldwide. We have termed this phenomenon 'covibesity'. 33 There has been an increase in food shopping, food take ways and increase in alcohol Since declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, rapid global spread of 59 the disease has led to unprecedented measures. The early surge in cases threatened to 60 overwhelm medical services and led to more than 2.6 billion people going into lockdown 61 in order to 'flatten the curve' of COVID. 1 The resultant social isolation has led to 62 unparalleled and precipitous changes in human behavior. The impromptu nature of such 63 lockdown has triggered rapid weight gain, or covibesity. This worldwide phenomenon is 64 of great significance and needs both acknowledgement and action. In 2016, the World Health Organization estimated that more than two billion adults are 66 overweight and 650 million are obese. 2 Lockdown-related weight gain will inflate these 67 extraordinary statistics still further. However, even a modest gain in weight over a short Meeting the needs of this population calls for alternative approaches. Covibesity needs swift, effective, broad management involving multiple stakeholders. 126 Support in high risk communities particularly from primary care via novel initiatives is 127 essential so that we do not win one battle, against Covid, only to lose another to obesity. Lockdown is the world's biggest psychological experiment -and we will pay the 142 price Obesity and weight management in the elderly A 150 prospective study of holiday weight gain Selected health 152 behaviors that influence college freshman weight change Even transient rapid infancy weight gain is 155 associated with higher BMI in young adults and earlier menarche Risks associated with obesity 158 in pregnancy, for the mother and baby: a systematic review of reviews COVID 19 related home confinement in adults: weight gain 161 risks and opportunities The Relationship Between Feasting Periods 163 and Weight Gain: a Systematic Scoping Review Screen time for children and adolescents 165 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obes Silver Spring Md News Stories -Junk Food Brand Drops Advertising to Kids During Lockdown to 168 Avoid Formal Regulatory Investigation -Action on Salt Advertising in the Age of COVID-19 Recalibrated Consumption Dynamics in a COVID-19 Altered World Home food delivery is surging thanks to ease of online ordering, new 179 study shows Rebalancing the 'COVID-19 Effect' on Alcohol Sales Covid-19: Why Germany's case fatality rate seems so low Deaths involving COVID-19 by local area and socioeconomic deprivation -Office 188 for National Statistics Feeding Low-Income Children 193 during the Covid-19 Pandemic Primary health care and disasters-the current 196 state of the literature: what we know, gaps and next steps Efficacy and causal mechanism of an 199 online social media intervention to increase physical activity: results of a 200 randomized controlled trial Health on the Internet: implications for health promotion